


Undertale: The Royal Hunt

by TooManyJays



Series: The Shattering. An Undertale AU [3]
Category: Deltarune (Video Game), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: (Not telling whom it involves though), Angst, Asian Frisk, Dark, Female Frisk (Undertale), Frisk is part hispanic and part asian, Gen, Graphic Description, Hispanic Frisk, Horror, Pain, Teenage Frisk (Undertale), Temporary Amnesia, The Author Regrets Nothing, There WILL be a romance later, Trauma, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2019-09-30 00:50:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 62,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17214008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooManyJays/pseuds/TooManyJays
Summary: After falling down a hole in a mountain, Frisk, a young teen, finds herself in a strange land filled with talking animals and creatures of various shapes and sizes, that's currently being ruled by an oppressive monarchy. Now with the help of new and strange friends, Frisk must find a way home while also escaping from the clutches of The Royal Hunt, a violent group of powerful warriors sworn to the kingdom, and one that's being led by the psychotic and mysterious Mad Mickey.Book 1 of the Shattering AUWARNING: this is a pretty violent story with GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS and GORE, so if you are too squemish or simply don't like those sorts of things then I suggest you go back.





	1. Somewhere deep down

_“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked._

_“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”_

_“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice._

_“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”_

 

 

__\- Alice Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll_ _

 

  
  
  
  


_Somewhere deep down…_

  


When she first came to be, all Frisk could see was utter darkness.

_What’s going on?_ she thought. _Am I dreaming?_

The next sensation she felt was an incredible pain. It seemed to spread out all over her body, both inside and outside, but it seemed to be the worst in her stomach and waist region. She also felt cold. Very, very cold, and the air had the smell of saltwater… and blood.

“Ugh,” she muttered when she tried calling out.

After a few moments, Frisk finally managed to open her eyes. All she could see at first was a dimly glowing flower in the distance, surrounded by impenetrable darkness.

As her vision got clearer, the luminous flower seemed to glow brighter and shewed Frisk the rocky interior of the place. The ground, for the most part, seemed to be made of complete solid stone, with the occasional grass or flower sprouting out, and the wall behind the glowing large flower was rocky as well and seemed to curve outward the higher it went. Frisk then noticed that the ground she was laying on was for the most part very soft, and then when she looked down she saw that she was laying on a wet beach of sorts. Frisk came to the conclusion that she was in some sort of an underground beach. She couldn’t bother thinking of any reason why because she was as terrified as she was confused.

“Wh-where am I?” Frisk said to herself. “What’s going on?”

The only sounds she heard in this dark, cavernous place was the strange sound that came from the glowing plant, and the distant splashes of waterfalls, which made Frisk realize this cavern was bigger than she thought.

“He-help!” Frisk shouted. “Anyone!”

There was no reply, but the echo of her voice through the cavern. If there was anyone nearby they would most likely have at least heard the echo. But nobody came.

Frisk trembled not just of cold, but of panic as well. She was terrified. Not only was she seemingly alone, but she had no recollection of anything. Where was she and what’s with this incredible pain?

Frisk tried standing up, but it proved more difficult than she thought. It hurt so much. It was like she hadn’t stood up in years, and so she just immediately fell back down and her face landed in a shallow puddle. She muttered and tried pulling herself up again. But then Frisk became stunned when she saw the reflection of a horrifyingly mutilated face in the puddle.

It was a female face that looked battered and bruised, with blue and purple streaks around one of her eyes, and the nose was broken. Not only that, but the face was also covered in small cuts and splinters. It was like this girl was hit in the face with a wooden plank.

Realizing this was her face, Frisk unsurprisingly, became very terrified.

_This is a nightmare,_ she thought to herself. _This has to be a nightmare._

But the worst part was yet to be discovered, as she realized when she looked at the palm of her hand. It was not only wounded with few splinters, but it was also painted red with blood. Her blood. Even with her somewhat delirious phase, Frisk could tell that this large amount of blood couldn’t have come from just a few splinter wound.

Then she realized that just a moment ago, this palm was touching her waist where most of the agony came from, and she had felt something hard sticking out.

Finally, she managed to sit up on her knees and then, scared beyond belief, Frisk looked down at her stomach to see what she had touched, hoping to god it wasn’t her bone sticking out.

“Oh… oh god,” she instinctively muttered out when she saw the source of her immense pain.

A large, shattered piece of wood was impaled in her waist, and blood was seeping from the gaps around it.

Dozens of questions filled her mind, questions like: _Where am I? What the hell is happening? WHY is this happening? Why is there no one around?_ And last but not least: _What the hell should I do now?_

But Frisk couldn’t bring herself to ponder any possible solutions, not at the moment at least, for this situation terrified her too much to think about anything else except for the present predicament. Instead, in an illogical impulse controlled by her fears, she put her bloodied hand on the wooden shrapnel piece and attempted to pull it out.

She only managed to pull out about an inch before a short but very sharp stinging pain caused her to stop and wince in pain.

“Oh god, this hurts,” Frisk said to herself trembling.

The pain made her eyes water. After a moment of calming down, she wiped some tears off her face and put both her hands on the wood.

“All right,” she said to herself. “Let’s try this again.”

Filled with all the determination she could manage, she mustered immense strength and began pulling it out.

“Oh fuck,” she instinctively said out loud.

Every pull she made worsened the sharp pain.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.”

The wood was now halfway out. It stung so much her eyes began to water again.

Tears began running down her bruised cheeks as the pain kept rising. She was now pulling much slower, and a small but growing part of her was now begging her to stop. But despite the overwhelming agony, she stayed determined.

The wooden piece was almost out of her now. Only a few more pulls.

“Almost,” she reassured herself, her eyes now blinded by tears. “Almoooosssst.”

And with great and quick effort, she ripped the last piece out. At the moment she did, overwhelming anguish spread from that wound to all over her body, causing Frisk to release from deep within her bowels a loud wail of agony. Her cries echoed throughout the deep cavern, but once again, nobody came.

Frisk panted heavily as she tried to calm herself. Then she looked at the half bloodied stake in her hands that just a moment ago was impaled deep within her waist.

“Th-there,” she said to herself trembling. “It’s done.”

But her feelings of mild triumphs were short, as she noticed that blood was now seeping through the wound in greater quantities since there was nothing to clog it anymore. Panicking, Frisk tried blocking it with her one hand while she tried to rip a piece of her striped shirt with her other hand.

“Oh fuck fuck FUCK!” said Frisk in a mixture of irritation and panic. “What the hell was I thinking?”

Managing to rip a piece out after being forced to use her teeth for an assist, she ineptly tied the fabric around her wound as best as she could from her lacklustre medical knowledge and tightened it.

It seemed to have worked, for the tight binding managed to lessen the bleeding quite a bit.

Frisk felt exhausted now. Her last few acts felt like the most gruelling things she had ever done, and so she just laid down with her back facing the ground.

“What the- what the fuck is going on here?” she asked herself.

She looked at the darkness above her, trying to see stars or anything that could be construed as a light source. The best things she could find were tiny shining dots far in the distance. Frisk wasn’t sure these were stars though, for much like the glowing flower, they seemed to fade and grow in brightness.

It was kind of soothing she felt. Staring at almost empty nothingness with no noise in her vicinity but her breathing.

Also, and Frisk wasn’t sure if it was due to immense blood loss, but she felt kind of numb and tired. Very, very tired in fact. She wanted to rest.

Just a little bit, she thought to herself.

And then she closed her eyes and dozed into a short sleep.

Suddenly, a rush of countless memories all of a sudden flashed before her eyes in an instant and she jerked awake. It was like waking up from a nightmare as she laid there gasping for air. She didn’t know how or why, but she somehow remembered everything now. She remembered her friends, her enemies, her purpose and all the events in the last few days that led her to this agonizing moment.

But the thing that most distracted Frisk was that she had somehow managed to forget this.

“How did I forget?” she said to herself panting. “How the fuck did I forget?”

Feeling an immense rush of adrenaline, Frisk managed to make herself stand up for the first time. Her waist and bones stung as she did, but she ignored it.

Frisk painfully wandered back and forth as she tried to digest her countless memories, and ponder dozens of speculations.

“I must have bumped my head on something when I fell,” she suggested to herself. “Or maybe there some time paradox shit going on or some nonsense like that.”

Then her thought went elsewhere, to her friends and the awful event that led her to this dark place, for whatever caused her sudden amnesia wasn’t as important compared to the tragedy that just occurred.

Frisk knew she had to go back, to warn everyone and prevent the attack from even happening, but she didn’t know how. There was barely anything in this dark place she could find that would help her load.

“I-I have to go back,” she said as her mind began scrambling for ideas. “I need to go back somehow, I-”

Frisk stopped mid-sentence as she glanced the cold, dark water. An awful idea popped into her head, an idea so terrible she couldn’t believe she even considered it. But it was the only way, the only way she could think of that is. She spent a few good moments staring at the lake, trying desperately to think of other options, ones less painful and quicker. But the shattered wood wasn’t sharp enough and there weren’t any loose rocks, so it was either the lake or waiting for hours until she bled out.

With that awful realization out of the way, Frisk closed her eyes and began to mentally prepare herself.

“Don’t worry,” she said to herself. “It will all be over soon.”

With her eyes still closed, she began to slowly walk towards the water.

“It will all be over soon, it will all be over soon,” she kept repeating to herself as she neared the dark water.

She felt her feet touch the freezing water, and she shuddered.

“It- it will be over soon, it will all be over soon.”

Frisk walked a bit further until the cold water was up to her knees. She winced as the freezing salt water seeped into the wounds on her legs.

“It will-it will all be over soon, it will all be over s-soon.”

She sat down on her knees in the cold water.

“It will all be over soon.”

She laid on her back and floated lightly in the water. She breathed irregularly. It was cold, and she was scared.

Frisk stared at the endless darkness above her once more and closed her eyes. She calmer now, and breathed easier. She was ready.

_Let’s do this,_ she thought.

Then Frisk took a deep breath and pushed herself into the water. It wasn't that shallow this close to the beach, so it only took a few seconds before she reached the bottom. Even though she wasn’t trying to, she instinctively tried holding in her breath. But after a few seconds, she stopped.

She opened her eyes as her body seemingly jolted awake like from a bad dream. She saw nothing in the green, foggy water except for the red smoke that seeped from her wounds and to the surface. Bubbles floated from her mouth as she began gasping for air. A part of her tried to make her go up the surface, but Frisk held herself still and grabbed an underwater root to help keep herself down.

_God, it hurts._

It was like a constant struggle between her mind and body. Litres and litres of water entered her mouth and lungs, and she felt water pour through her dozens of wounds. It hurt so much, but Frisk kept going, holding herself still as best she could.

She saw her life flash before her once more as her lungs were filled with water. She saw her friends, family, her happy moments, and her worst days. But it was too late to stop now.

Her vision was getting dark, and she felt her body giving up. In the end, she saw a light, and then darkness. Then Frisk let out a last minuscule breath as her lifeless body floated gently to the surface.

 

Frisk saw nothing. Not darkness with a hint of light or even darkness in general. Just nothing.

Then she saw her soul, a red coloured heart shaped object floating in the emptiness. Then there came a sort of yellow star-like object that seemed to twist and change in shape at every turn. Frisk felt a longing to reach out and touch it. When she did, her soul moved and absorbed the glowing shape and then the entire void was filled with blinding light alongside all of Frisk hopes and dreams, and fears and horrors as she saw all her possible pasts, presents and futures appear before her very eyes, if what she had in the void could be called eyes, in just an instance. But in almost the same moment they appeared, the flashes vanished from her sight and once again became distant long forgotten memories deep within the recesses of her consciousness. And then Frisk woke up…

 

“Ugh,” muttered Frisk as she struggled to wake up. She felt herself laying on her back on something hard… and wet.

Must be imagining, she thought.

Her blurry vision was getting better, and she had mustered enough energy to stand up.

I’m ready, she thought.

And when she managed to wake up, she became more horrified beyond reason. She refused to believe this was happening. She thought that maybe this was an illusion created from time paradoxes, or maybe time had yet to adjust to sudden changes or something. But the truth was worse.

She was still there, in the deep dark caverns, laying on the rocky floor on where she got her memories back.

“No!” she said. “No,no,no,no,NO! This can’t be happening. Oh god, this can't be happening.. I shouldn’t have loaded here, I didn’t save, I didn’t FUCKING save! This has to be a nightmare oh god please let this be a nightmare, god please someone please...”

Frisk frantically tried standing up before immediately slipping on the wet stone and falling face first into the hard floor. It hurt so much she couldn’t breathe.

She began to cry as she sat down on her knees.

“HELP,” she yelled into the darkness. “SOMEONE! SOMEBODY PLEASE… *sob*...HELP... ME!”

There was no answer, but the echo of her sobbing voice.

“HELP ME PLEASE!”

She cried and cried uncontrollably as the grim reality dawned on her. She was alone, in this cold, dark place with nothing but her immense guilt and terror to keep her company. There was no one around, and no one who could hear her cries.

“Oh fuck I’m so sorry,” she muttered to herself. “Flowey, Max, Undyne, Gerson, everyone. I am so sorry. I have failed you. I was so clumsy a-a-and stupid that I’ve... fucked it up and failed you somehow. Oh god, I am so… sorry.”

Weeping, Frisk stumbled past the flower and sat down by the cavern wall.

“Oh god,” she muttered.

She wiped tears and snot off her face with the back of her bruised hand as she kept sobbing.

“I wanna go home,” Frisk said to herself.

But in the deep, dark recesses of the earth, nobody heard and nobody came...

  
  


**_The Shattering_ **

**_An Undertale story_ **

**_Book 1: The Royal Hunt_**

  



	2. The ruins Part 1

**Chapter 1:**

**The Ruins - Part 1**

  


_A few days earlier…_

 

Frisk could feel the hot, evening sunlight resting on her sleeping face. She was currently in a weird state where she was not quite asleep, but not really awake either, like her consciousness was stuck in a limbo of sorts.

A small part of her didn’t want to wake up just yet. She had been dreaming a good dream. Frisk couldn’t remember what it was about, just that it had been very good, and hoped that if she would fall asleep again it would pick up right where she started, wherever that was. Adding to that sensation was the fact that she was laying on something very soft, which were reminiscent of her old parent's bed.

When Frisk finally opened her eyes, she was almost blinded for a moment by the light of the orange evening sun until she quickly adjusted to it. Still too tired to stand up, Fisk looked around was laying in a bright, and a very brown underground cavern. Above her was the rocky platform where she had fallen and where the only cavern entrance she knew of was located with the setting sun shining through it, giving bright colours to this otherwise dull place.

She also had an immense headache, perhaps the biggest headache she had gotten in a long time. Not only that, but she also felt very tired and hungover. It was like she had been drinking all night, even though she remembered doing nothing of the sort.

“Ugh, mierda,” Frisk cursed and put her hand on her forehead.

After a short while though, the headache and dizziness went away.

 _Maybe I knocked my head on something when I fell_ , she thought. _Would explain why I suddenly fell asleep. That and the soft floor_.

Frisk finally sat up and looked further at her surroundings. She had been laying on a small flower bed consisting only of sunflowers that formed almost a perfect circle right underneath the cavern entrance. The flowers were very soft indeed, perhaps unnaturally so. Frisk figured they must have lightened her fall.

The next thing Frisk did was look down on her clothes. She was still wearing the same clothes as last she checked. A blue and pink striped shirt, a blue open hoodie with dangling white laces, blue jeans, and black matching boots. In other words, there was nothing that seemed out of the ordinary there. Frisk found it weird that she considered checking.

Frisk groaned a bit when she stood up. After that, she began to listen to her surroundings. Birds were singing, insects were buzzing in this underground cavern, and from somewhere far above, Frisk could hear the distant sound of an early autumn wind which gave her images of being inside a nice, cosy cabin during an extreme wind. It was like she had fallen into a fairy tale.

But as much as this peaceful atmosphere fancied her, another growing part of her was filled with dread. She had fallen god knows how deep and she was now possibly trapped. Starting to panic, Frisk looked up at the platform from where she had fallen and began to yell.

“Help!” she yelled. “Anyone?!”

There was no reply.

“Hey, there’s a girl stuck down here! I fell down this hole, and I can’t get up!  If there’s anyone up there that can help me, that would be great.”

There was no reply, but the distant chirping of birds. Frisk waited for a few more moments but still, there came nothing. Frisk sighed.

“What are you doing Frisk?” she asked herself.

She reached for her pants pocket and pulled out a small, white phone.

“What the hell?” she said when she opened it and saw the red glowing notification on her screen.

There was no signal. None at all. Frisk found this more surprising as much as it worried her. She had fallen far yes, but Frisk was sure she hadn’t fallen THAT far, and it wasn’t like the mountain was a long way away from a decent signal tower. In fact, there was one right on top of it.

Thinking it was a bug or some badly optimized settings, Frisk’s next move was to see if she could fix it herself. She went through all the setting she could find. She went through the Wi-Fi, the mobile data, and even the phone’s memory to see if it was full or something.

“Com'n, com’n,” she muttered as she scrolled through the settings. “Shit.”

It was useless. Try as she might, she just couldn’t reactivate it.

“Dammit!”

Giving up frustrated and worried, Frisk put the phone back into her pockets. Her breath began to grow frantic. She was starting to panic. But she knew that a panic attack wouldn’t do anything but make things feel worse, so she began to close her eyes and calm herself down.

“Don’t freak out,” she began. “Don’t freak out. Just breathe slowly. It’s not that bad. You are just trapped in an underground cavern far away from civilization and no one has any idea where you are. Y’know, just typical teenage worries.”

She breathed calmy for a few more moments, and when she considered herself ready, she opened her eyes again as slowly as she closed them, and began to look around for a way out. Despite her ever-growing worry, Frisk stayed determined and tried her hardest to not let her panic overwhelm her.

“All right,” she said to herself. “Think, think.”

She considered maybe try climbing up, but then she quickly changed her mind as she remembered she was a terrible climber. Also, the cavernous walls seemed to concave at the top, making it impossible to climb without the proper tools.

“Maybe I could… no, no, no, no. That’s stupid.”

And then Frisk finally noticed it. It was pretty hard to see at first because it was hidden in the shadows, but Frisk could faintly see a tunnel entrance deeper with the cavern.

“Ok,” she said. “This could be it.”

With that, she turned back to face the platform where she had fallen and yelled at it one last time:

“Y’know what? It’s fine! I think I found a way out myself. Turns out I might not need your help or anything!”

Once again, there was no reply.

“Great job Frisk,” she whispered to herself. “Yelling at nothing. That’s gotta be like the first sign of crazy.”

With that, she turned to face the tunnel.

“Could be a dead end,” Frisk considered. “Eh, might as well try.”

Since the path ahead was hidden from any visible source of light, it was extremely hard to see. But thanks to modern technology, Frisk simply picked up her phone and turned on the flashlight in it. When she did, however, Frisk was greeted by a curious sight.

“What the hell?” she muttered.

Frisk blinked twice, then a few more times just to make sure it wasn’t a trick of the eye. But it was there, as hard as it was for her to believe. There were _pillars_. Stone pillars carved on the rocky walls. This couldn’t have been any geological coincidence as the craftsmanship was obviously hand made. Not only that, but they also looked incredibly similar to the ones found in ancient Greek temples, which kind of didn’t fit with the whole Celtic or even medieval architecture Frisk would have normally expected to find in ruins this far north.

To make extra sure she wasn’t hallucinating, Frisk went and caressed one pillar, and felt the smoothly carved details. At that point, she no longer had any doubts. This was a real pillar.

Frisk found this discovery confusing as she had found it fascinating. If this place was as ancient as it seemed, why in the world hadn’t she heard of it in all her years living near this mountain. And why wasn’t there anything put in place to preserve this ancient history? It wasn’t like Mt. Ebbot was that far away from civilization which would make it impossible to find. In fact, the town where she lived, aptly named Ebbot as well, was only a short drive away. The only explanation Frisk could think of, although it was very improbable, was that she was the only person who had found it so far.

Unless the people who went missing at the mountain during all those years also found it. Which would’ve meant they also fell down here… and Frisk would soon find out what happened to them.

Frisk shock away those horrible thoughts and tried to stay optimistic. Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter to her as much as finding a way out, and so she stepped away from the pillar and continued her descent.

“Hello?” she yelled into the tunnel. “Anyone here? Any crazy hermits? Any wise old monks that can give me valuable life lessons? Any… scary trolls or monsters that are gonna eat me up? No? Alright then.”

The signs of ancient civilizations didn’t fade the further she went. Rather, they increased exponentially as the rocky, cavernous walls were subtly being replaced by solid and smoothly carved stone. After a short while, the place became indistinguishable from a large, ancient hallway.

“Ok, this is getting weird,” rambled Frisk.

After about a minute of walking, the hallway ended at a solid wall with the only way to continue being a large, open entrance to Frisk’s left with a dim light shining through. Like the pillars, it was obviously man-made and masterfully crafted, and it looked like it used to be a large gate except the doors were missing. Around this open gate were carvings that seemed to depict some sort of ancient history, but they were now completely illegible after centuries, if not millennials, of ageing.

The source of the dim light came from a sunshaft somewhere far above and it was built so that the sunlight shone straight down like it was a pillar of light. But Frisk curious wonder at this hidden relic of a bygone age was nothing compared to what she would find next when she finally decided to wander through the entrance and became witness to a sight that left her almost speechless.

“What the hell is this place?”

Cavern would no longer be the correct term for this place. A temple would be a closer descriptor at this point. A massive, beautiful temple in which this one open room Frisk stood in could fit in a 3 story building and still have enough room for dozens of people in it. The temple was built like a large dome very reminiscent of Hagia Sophia, and at the top where the curved walls connected, there was a small hole where sunlight shone through and illuminated the entire garden. The architecture in this place, that being the curved walls and tall pillars, seemed like they were directly stolen from ancient Greek buildings and even had some hints of old Tibetan monasteries.

This marvellous sight made Frisk gasp in astonishment. How no one had found this place before, especially in this current age of constant communication or surveillance, she couldn’t for the life of her figure out.

 _This is incredible_ , she thought. _I’ve must've stumbled upon some sort of archaeological gold mine. If I ever get out of here, this shit will make me famous_.

Then she stopped looking up and looked at the ground ahead of her when she finally saw it. The strange object that stood right underneath the shaft on the roof. The object in question wasn’t anything Frisk hadn’t seen before, or even anything completely out of place, but rather it was the placement of it and the utter mundanity that made it stand out so much.

It was _a single sunflower in a pot_ , just sitting there.

Finding this immensely curious, Frisk went closer to it and crouched down right in front of it. For the most part, it looked like an ordinary sunflower, not unlike the ones from the flowerbed earlier, but this one seemed much fresher and healthier compared to the other ones.

Whoever lived down here Frisk figured, as it was no longer any question to her whether someone did, must have favoured this single sunflower above the other ones for some reason or another.

 _Someone must’ve placed it here_ , Frisk thought. _But who the hell would do that? And why?_

For a second, Frisk felt she saw a face in the pistil, but then she looked closer and there was nothing. Frisk simply ignored it as a simple mirage.

“Huh,” Frisk said to herself. “Weird.”

“DON’T TOUCH HIM!”

“Wha-”

Before Frisk could finish that sentence, a swathe of flame suddenly burst out from the shadows like a dragon breathing fire.

“Oh shi-”

A small fire landed to her side, but it was enough to almost throw her away.

“Gah!”

She quickly stood back on her feet and began to run.

“STOP!” the voice yelled.

It sounded deep and masculine like it belonged to an old man with a great sense of authority.

“COME BACK HERE!”

Frisk felt her fight or flight instinct kick in as she began to frantically run. She didn’t have a plan on which direction, she was just wanted to escape. Unfortunately, she didn’t get very far since she put all her thought on getting away, she didn’t focus one bit on the ground and then she quickly tumbled down after her foot hit a rock.

“Gah fuck!”

Although the ground was mostly soft, her head still hurt when she fell headfirst into it. Her mind became dizzy from the pain. Her head didn’t suffer the worst though, unlike her knee which unluckily landed on another set of rocks and caused her perhaps the biggest pain she ever felt so far. Fortunately for her though, the adrenaline in her system dulled the affliction somewhat and Frisk promptly resumed her escape. Or at least she attempted to.

She tried to stand up, only for her to immediately fall right back down again. She realized the wound on her leg seemed worse than she first thought, as Frisk found it impossible to even keep balance on it. Realizing she couldn’t run, Frisk began to frantically crawl instead. The fires seemed to come from every direction. She didn’t care where she was going, or even that she couldn’t stand, Frisk just wanted to get away, away from the screaming voice and countless fires. But then her path became obstructed when a sudden wall of flame formed in front of her.

Too frightened to question the logic of it, she turned on her back and became saw someone standing in front of her. A someone whom Frisk could only assume was the person who attacked her.

She couldn’t get a clear look at this person as he stood in the shadows, but Frisk could still see a faint outline of him it due to the two fireballs in his hands which Frisk simply assumed were two little flamethrowers. The figure was of an immensely tall build and was wearing what looked like a long, tall robe, complete with a long fluffy beard and… horns?

Frisk didn’t think much of the last part, as she was too busy panicking.

“Jesus Christ mister, I’m sorry!” she frantically said.

“SORRY?” the figure harshly asked. “WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE YOU WERE SORRY? NOW TELL ME, WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO DO TO HIM?

“Nothing, I swear!” Frisk said, not really noticing the figure referring to the flower as “him”.

“LIAR!”

“I swear to fucking christ I wasn’t doing anything. I simply just went closer to take a look at it! That’s all I did I swear!”

The flames in the shadows began to wain a little. The silhouette then seemed to turn to look at the flower in the pot for a moment before turning back to Frisk.

“You… weren’t… going to… harm him?”

The voice sounded a lot calmer this time, and Frisk felt she could hear a tinge of regret in it.

“No!” replied Frisk. “Why the hell should I!? I don’t even care about your stupid flower!”

The figure became uncomfortably silent.

“Stupid?” he asked.

 _Oh shit_ , Frisk thought.

But instead of a fit of rage as Frisk expected, the figure just gave out an amusing chuckle.

“My child,” he said. “I understand your immediate dismissal of him. He may not look that much, but I assure you that this not merely a “stupid flower”. In fact, he’s arguably the complete opposite. This flower… _is my son_.”

Frisk utter terror was almost replaced by a sudden confusion.

“Wha- what?” she asked. “Your… son?”

 _Holy shit, this guy really is crazy_ , Frisk thought.

Suddenly, all the flames in the room immediately dissipated as quick as turning off a light bulb. Frisk was so taken aback by it, that she didn’t even notice that the figure was now beginning to slowly, but surely walk towards her, until she heard the large thumps coming from his massive feet.

Realizing what he was doing, Frisk began to cover in fear. Judging by his unhinged nature, Frisk couldn’t imagine what awful things this seemingly crazy person was possibly planning to do.

But that fear was merely a fleeting moment compared to the absolute terror that came next when she finally got a better look at this person, or rather, creature.

The first thing that entered the light was a big paw. The paw was underneath a long robe, but it was so big in practically stood out and Frisk could almost see it in all its fluffy detail. It looked very much like a lion’s paw, but the fur was white like a rabbit’s or a goat’s. The next thing Frisk saw of this immensely tall yet skinny figure was the purple, flowing robe which she could now see was extremely torn and dirty and must’ve smelled as foul as it looked. Then came the uncannily human-like hands, and like the paws, they were white and fluffy, and the fingernails were extremely long. Frisk then saw the dirty and unkempt yellow beard that dangled on the robe reminiscent of an old, fantasy wizard.

Then, at last, came the head. A crowning centrepiece that sent shivers to Frisk’s spine as it made her realized she was looking at a creature unlike anything she had ever seen in her entire life. The head was far from humanoid like its hands and was a lot more animalistic like its paws. The closest animal resemblance Frisk could think of was a goat, due to the long white horns and dangling white ears, yet, the head also had the semblance of a lion, with the giant golden beard that looked a bit like a mane, and the goat looking muzzle also looked a bit feline. The strangest thing about it though were the eyes, which was also the only part of the creature that didn’t resemble any animals Frisk could think of, but they were almost completely human-like. One blue, one orange, and both wide open. Underneath them were dark marks, like that of a person who hadn’t slept in a long time.

The creature looked at the Frisk, not seeming to notice her frightened state, and gave an uncomfortable smile on its muzzle, similar to one of a person who had long forgotten how to be empathetic.

“Howdy,” the creature casually said. “I am so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!” Frisk screamed.

The smile on the creature faded and was replaced by a look of utter confusion.

“I’m sorry?”

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!” Frisk screamed again. “What the- WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU!?”

The creature looked behind in a state of confusion and then back on Frisk.

“Are you talking about me?”

“Of course I’m talking about you! WHAT ARE YOU?!”

At this moment, the strange creature lightened up as if he seemed to realize something.

“Oh, how could I forget,” he said. “I am so sorry. It somehow slipped my mind that most of humanity hasn’t seen or heard about our kind for thousands of years.”

“Wh-what?” Frisk asked. “Thousands of years? Your kind? Wait… THERE’S MORE OF YOU?”

“Of course,” the creature said. “In fact, my kind are millions in numbers, each of different shapes and sizes. We are practically an entire different lifeform, one made mostly of magic. You, humans, had a name for us that might sound familiar to you. You humans used to call us monsters.

“Mo-monsters?” she muttered. “Magic? I… uh… what?”

These sudden barges of information made Frisk almost faint in confusion and shock. The creature noticed her state, seemed to be extremely worried.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” said Frisk, panting. “I-I’m fine. This is just… too much. I- I need a breather.”

“All right then,” the creature said and a smile returned on his muzzle. “Let’s talk about something else. What is your name little one?”

“Wh-why?” Frisk asked suspiciously.

“Just curious?”

Frisk looked at him for a few moments. She found it hard to bring herself back to an ordinary conversation with this creature, while it just stood there patiently and smiled. Eventually though, Frisk managed to resume some train of thought.

“Francisca,” she said nervously. “My name’s Francisca Esperanza Montgommero. My friends just call me Frisk though.”

“Frisk?” asked the creature.

Frisk nodded in confirmation.

“Well, that is a nice name,” the creature said. “As for my name. I am… I… am…  what was my name again? Strange. I seem to have forgotten. Eh, it doesn’t matter.”

Frisk looked at him worryingly.

“That’s… understandable,” she replied.

Thankfully for her, the creature didn’t seem to have noticed her semi-sarcastic tone.

“I see you’ve already met my boy,” the nameless creature said and went towards the potted flower underneath the sun shaft.  The immense barrage of information from the creature had Frisk almost completely forget about it.

“But something tells me you haven’t been properly introduced yet,” the creature said while he picked up the flower gently like picking up a newborn. “He doesn’t really have a name per se, but these days he goes by _Flowey_ , as in _Flowey the flower_. Flowey, why won’t you introduce yourself to your new friend over there?”

The goat creature smiling stared at the plain looking flower for a good few moments. Unless you count the flower moving slightly due to the wind that came from the opening above, nothing really happened. Meanwhile, Frisk stared at this bizarre moment feeling a mixture of fright and confusion. Frisk wasn’t sure if this kind of weird behaviour that would be considered a sure sign of crazy for humans was completely ordinary for these “monster” creatures.

After a few more moments of silence from the flower, the strange creature chuckled and looked back at Frisk reassuringly.

“I think he’s a bit shy,” he said. “My son can be that sometimes, especially in the presence of strangers. I hope you understand me, but I’m not going to force him to talk to you if he doesn’t feel like it, ok?”

“All right then,” said Frisk.

Suddenly, Frisk felt an immense pain in her leg where she fell. She didn’t notice it at first because she was too busy being afraid, but now the pain was almost impossible to ignore. She tried to hide it from the monster because she was still a bit afraid of him, but it seemed to worsen with every moment. Frisk realized that she had failed when she noticed that the smile on the creature's muzzle seemed to fade and once again be replaced by a look of worry.

“Are you alright my child?” he asked.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” said Frisk and then winced in pain.

The creature looked at her with a doubtful expression.

“It doesn’t seem fine,” he said. “Don’t worry though. I think I know a way to make you feel better.”

Still holding the flower, the creature began to walk towards Frisk. When Frisk noticed that he was coming towards her, she began to softly panic and crawled backwards.

“Don’t be afraid, child,” the creatures said gently. “I am not going to hurt you. Gods, I never would have attempted it if I had known any better.”

He stopped when he was close enough so that he was practically standing over her, and Frisk saw just how tall and skinny he was. He was so skinny that Frisk could see the outlines of his bone in his anorexic looking hands, and the robe seemed a few sizes too small for him.

Then the creature began to carefully sit down as if his bones were incredibly fragile, which Frisk wouldn’t be surprised by. Then he adjusted himself in a cross-legged position and Frisk could feel his dirty, golden beard brushing her leg, and then laid the flower carefully to his side, and gently patted it on it’s “head”.

“I haven’t done this in a long time, to be honest,” he admitted while he stretched his clawed hands together and Frisk could hear them crackling uncomfortably. “But I’m sure that I am just as good as I remember.”

Then the creature outstretched his palms and let them hover shakingly over Frisk’s wounded leg like it was a warm furnace.

“What are you doing?” Frisk asked.

“You’ll see.”

The creature moved his hovered hand back and forth across Frisk’s leg.

Suddenly, Frisk felt a great warmth come from the creatures palm. That was not the strangest part, as Frisk discovered when she looked closer. Some green, alien-looking energy was coming from his clawed hand. Before Frisk could react, the energy had spread from the creatures fingertips like green strings and it slithered worm like all over Frisk’s leg. Frisk began to freak out.

“What are you-”

“Shh child,” the creature whispered. “Stay calm and this will be over much sooner.”

Frisk didn’t know what it was, whether it was the reassuring tone of his voice, a side effect of the green energy or if she had mentally just given up on fighting, but Frisk found herself suddenly no longer resisting. The energy passed through the leather of her jeans and then Frisk could feel it’s cool and tickling touch on her skin like dozens of wriggling worms.

Then the green energy vanished in an instant and the creature pulled back his hands.

“There,” he said. “All better now.”

“Wha-what did you just do to me?” Frisk asked.

“I fixed you,” the creature said smiling.

“What?”

Then Frisk felt it. Or rather, didn’t feel it. The pain in her leg was gone, and she realized that she was able to move it without any difficulty. She pulled up her pant leg was shocked to find her suspicions confirmed. There was no wounds, no marks, or anything that would have hinted that she had fallen. It was like she was never wounded at all.

“My god,” she said in shock. “You fixed it. How did you… wait. Was that… magic?”

“Indeed,” the creature said.

Then his smile faded and he immediately looked bewildered.

“Wait, you have never seen magic before?”

“No,” said Frisk. “Where I am from, I mean up there, magic is basically a myth.”

The creature looked at her like he couldn’t imagine that kind of life in the slightest. Then he just chuckled and his weird, somewhat creepy smile returned.

“It’s all right,” he said. “You’ll grow used to it.”

“I don’t think I ever will,” admitted Frisk.

“Well, whatever the case, let’s agree to disagree. Oh, pardon me I must be going now. I’ve just realized it’s late and my boy needs to be home for dinner.”

Still holding the flower in the pot, the eccentric creature stood up and began to head towards another entrance that was further away, while Frisk just sat there, still trying to process everything that happened. Halfway on its path though, the creature stopped and turned around to look at Frisk.

“Are you coming?” he politely asked.

Frisk was a bit surprised by that question. This creature that she had not only just met, but who also just attacked her was now expecting her to follow him? Normally, Frisk would absolutely refuse following a stranger who recently attacked her without a doubt.  But as strange as it sounded, Frisk found this question difficult to answer. Not only was she lost, but she had learned so many things in these past few minutes that turned everything she knew, or rather thought she knew, on its head. Suddenly, she was in a world of magic and strange creatures. In short, Frisk had a dilemma.

The creature looked like it had lived in this place for a long time, judging by his tattering outfit and dirty look, so he must know it like the back of his hand and thus could possibly know of a way out. But to say that Frisk wasn’t scared of this so-called “monster” would be an understatement. She was frightened of the possibility that he would lead her to a hidden place so that he could eat her in peace. On the other hand, this creature, while obviously eccentric, appeared to be somewhat nice and seemed to be immensely regretful for attacking her earlier, but that could also just be because he’s attempting to lead Frisk to a false sense of security. Whatever the case, she couldn’t just stay in this temple forever and so she had to make a choice sooner or later.

In the end, Frisk decided to take the risk.

“Don’t think I’ve got a choice,” she said.

She stood up and lightly dusted her clothes.

“All right then,” she began. “Lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, that was a long time coming. 
> 
> I know it really took a while, I think about two months, and I honestly don't really have any good reason. I could argue that I was super busy these last few weeks, but I don't feel like that's a good excuse. Even then, I had like an entire Christmas break and I don't think I got much work done then. I guess I just wasn't up to it, but that's a topic for another day.
> 
> I think the only thing I can say is that... well... I'm sorry, and I hope that I will update much faster this year than the last. I've also decided, as you most likely noticed, to split the chapters into smaller "sub-chapters" so I can upload more and you don't have to wait two months for an update. You might be disappointed to find this to be a bit too short for a two-month hiatus, but I promise you that I have the entire chapter almost completely outlined and I just need to fix up a few things and start writing. I like to see this part as being an introduction to this version of Frisk and what kind of character you should expect from her. If you are wondering, this Frisk is about 16-years-old. 
> 
> Anyway, that's enough rambling. I hope you enjoyed it so far, and I will try to update soon.
> 
> P.S.
> 
> Also, a week ago I commissioned an artist named Atlas-White for an art based on a scene from AHTR. Check it out, it's pretty good:  
> https://www.deviantart.com/carmilliancrown/art/UT-By-the-Campfire-Commission-782313249


	3. The ruins Part 2

**The Ruins Part 2**

  
  
  


The darkness and dampness of the ruins didn’t seem to get any better the further they went. Frisk couldn’t see far, so she mostly just tailored a few feet behind the large, goat-looking creature, who still held in both his hands the sunflower he called his son. The creature didn’t only seem to not mind the darkness, but also seemed clear on where he should go. Frisk still had her phone up with the flashlight mode on just in case.

Frisk and the creature went up some stairs that led into a half circle, and then they wandered into a small dark room. There was no furniture, or even anything particular about this room at first glance, but then Frisk noticed the big stone slabs on the floor that resembled buttons and an unreadable mural on the wall that seemed to resemble some instructions of sort beside a closed door

“The monsters of old built room like these to ward of humans,” the creature began. “It was believed… or at least I think it was… that by using clever and complex puzzles, they could break a human’s patience and will, and then the human would simply leave in frustration and/or boredom.”

“That sounds kind of far fetched,” commented Frisk.

The creature didn’t seem to notice her sarcastic response, and he began to walk over the buttons in a vertical line and the closed door quickly opened.

The next room they entered was a bit larger, but still just as dark. What Frisk could see though, was that it had a lot more to it so to speak. There were two small water streams that ran through the room, with tiny little bridges leading over it, and some of the walls had some vegetation covering it. Frisk could hardly see it at first until she shone her light on it, but on some of the walls were small levers which had already been pulled down.

_ Huh, weird _ , Frisk thought to herself.

It was at this point that Frisk’s curiosity overwhelmed her.

“What is this place?” she asked.

“This, my dear child,” the nameless creature began as if he had answered this question many times before. “Is the remnant of an old place called Home. It was once a great city, a thriving metropolis that was founded shortly after we monsters were thrust and imprisoned within these cavernous depths. But today, these once great halls and streets that bustled with life and monsters of all forms are now mere crumbling memories of gone days, with the only life here besides us being spiders, Whimsums, Froggits, and the occasional stragglers that managed to break in here somehow.”

Frisk and the creature now passed through an entrance and entered a small circular room. Frisk tried to imagine what Whimsums and Froggits were and looked like.

“I do admit though,” the creature continued. “That I do miss the energy and seeing all the nice folk that used to wander through here, going to work and chatting about recent events. But now they are all gone. Where have they all gone to I wonder? And why have they all gone? These questions haunt me once a day, and yet I have found no answer.”

Frisk and the creature had now entered another small hallway, but one with less life in it. There were no streams, and only a few of the walls had any vegetation in it, but Frisk didn’t really seem to notice or care this time, as she was too invested in the creature's tale. Frisk wasn’t normally the type to pay much attention in class presentations and teachers droning about some history of a place long gone, but hearing descriptions of an old civilization and species she had never heard about or even knew existed until now fascinated her. She could be the first person to hear about this in maybe a long time, and she did not want to waste this opportunity.

“Whatever the case,” the creature continued. “I hope that one day they will all return, and my son and I won’t have to be so lonely anymore here in the dark. Maybe they will never return. But… now that you are here, Frisk, perhaps we don’t have to wait anymore. With you here, we can perhaps build something else… something greater.”

This last sentence mad Frisk stop in her track and pulled her out of her fascinated, awed state and into utter discomfort. The may have been trying to be nice to her, but the implication of the last sentence Frisk found hard to ignore.

Was he intending to keep her here? It sounded to Frisk like he was implying that. It could just be that the creature had trouble properly expressing himself, but that still couldn’t shake off that uneasy feeling he gave her.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the creature was now looking at her and his heterochromic eyes seemed to give off a maddening glare, and his smile didn’t really seem to help.

Frisk began to back away from him. Now she just wanted to stay away from the creature as far as she could.

“I, uhh…” began Frisk.

Then the creature seemed to take notice of her disquiet and immediately changed his expression and tone.

“Oh dear lord,” he said. “I am so sorry, I have no idea what came over me just now. I guess my longing, my wishful reminiscence of days long past had momentarily taken over me. Frisk, you really don’t have to stay with me in this dark and damp cavern if you don’t want to. You are a young girl. A fine young girl and you have the power and will to make your own choices in this world, and it should not in my right or power to control them.”

Even though his tone spoke of genuine sorry, it was not enough to shake the discomfort out of Frisk.

“Uhh, thanks man but umm,” began Frisk. “You’ve been of great help, I swear, but... I think I am going to go my own way now. I’m sure I’ve got the gist of this place and I’m gonna just go through these ruins by myself ok?”

“That’s not a good idea,” the creature replied.

“Why not?” asked Frisk.

“Because!” the creature said with a surprising urgency in his tone. “These ruins are not safe for you. They are not safe for anyone. I regret not informing you about it earlier, but there are other beings here besides the aforementioned Froggits, spiders and so on. There are creatures here. Bad creatures. Other monsters that are much dangerous than anything you have seen or encountered and ones that will not hesitate to take you.”

Frisk almost froze in fear after hearing that. Other monsters? Ones more dangerous? But then she felt a bit suspicious as the timing of it seemed a bit too convenient.

“You-you are bluffing,” she protested.

“Of course not,” the creature said with a hint of sadness in his tone. “I understand your suspicions, but please… trust me.”

One part of Frisk wanted to protest, to yell at him, call him a liar, but another part of her wasn’t sure about anything anymore because of all the things she had learned just this day, things like the facts that monsters and that magic were actually real, and so she was basically open to anything at this point. Not only that but once again the creature seemed genuinely sorry.

Frisk currently felt a bit ashamed of herself for her behaviour towards the seemingly sorry creature. But then again, was her distrust of this strange and seemingly crazy being unjust?

“If you really want to leave my child,” the creature said. “Then I won’t stop you. But please, if you do, then I hope you take my warnings seriously.”

Frisk was practically trapped between two bad options at this point, a rock and a hard place. It was either to stay with this strange creature she didn’t fully trust or to wander alone and blindly through these labyrinthian caves and ruins where god know what lived.

In the end though, after a short while of thinking, she had decided.

“All right,” Frisk said nervously. “I’m coming.”

The creature’s smile returned on his muzzles.

“Then I’ll promise that I will keep you safe.”

If the creature had attempted guilt her into this choice as Frisk now began to suspect, it had succeeded, but either way, Frisk decided it was the lesser of two poisons. She rationalised it by the fact that she at least recognized him somewhat, and believed she could outrun or outwit him if she could, opposed to the other monsters that she hadn’t even glimpsed at. If they existed at all that is. After what she had seen though, she didn’t want to take that chance.

They went through another doorway, and the current path now seemed to curve slightly to the right.

“Are you frightened my child?” the creature asked in a gentle tone.

Frisk was taken aback by that sudden question.

“What noooo,” she lied. “Of course I’m not afraid, why would I be? You are here to protect me after all right?”

The creature looked doubtful.

“It’s all right to be afraid,” he said. “It just means you are still sane.”

“I promise you I’m fine,” insisted Frisk.

She didn’t want to tell the truth to the monster exactly because she was terrified. Of this place, of him, of what he might do if she somehow managed to upset him.

“Alrighty then,” the creature said and looked back on the path.

Frisk wasn’t sure if the tone in his voice meant that he was convinced or not. She tried not to think about it, however.

The pathway now curved back to the left, and they now entered a curious looking room, perhaps the strangest one so far. Almost the entire room was underwater, except for a tiny bridge in front of them that lead to a metallic platform, but that platform was completely covered in dozens of tall spikes that protruded from the ground. They were almost as tall as the nameless creature. Frisk dreaded at the thought that they might have to swim through the pond as she didn’t want to think about what could possibly lay in that murky watery abyss.

The creature wandered close the spikes in the centre as if he was going to magically walk through them.

“Some monsters doubted the humans supposed impatience and inadequacy,” he said and lightly touched one spike. “They said that we should not underestimate their will, their determination, and so they built puzzles that were more deadly and challenging and ones where if you failed, you could suffer, and even die.”

The creature put his hand away, and a small red blood drop ran down his furred hand. It then fell down on the floor, where it instantly vaporized into a small cloud of dust. Frisk saw it happen but didn’t think much of it. She was basically not surprised by anything at this point.

The creature turned his head down to face Frisk and put up a reassuring smile on his bearded muzzle.

“But you shouldn’t worry though,” he said. “My boy and I know these puzzles in and out. I will guide you through them carefully, and you will not have to fear getting maimed or impaled.”

“I… I didn’t know these were possibilities but ok,” Frisk said.

Then the creature went to touch the spikes on the right side, and then suddenly as if on command, they quickly shrank through grates on the floor.

“This is the path,” the creature said. “I remember it clearly now.”

Then the creature reached out to Frisk with one of his clawed hands, while holding the flower pot with his other.

“Come take my hand,” he said. “It’s much safer that way.”

Frisk hesitated for a bit but then she took hold of the giant clawed hand. The hand felt soft and fluffy, but also incredibly thin. Then the creature closed the hand and carefully squeezed hers, and they began to slowly walk.

The creature guided her through the spikes in a serpentine pattern, where at every step the spikes would make the same sound as they shrank through the floor, but then Frisk looked back and saw the spikes protruding back up when they were out their way.

At literally every moment in this whole ordeal, she feared that the spiked below them would suddenly burst out from the grates below and impale her, despite the creatures complete reassurance that they were going the right way.

After about dreadful 20 seconds that Frisk felt went on forever, they had finally reached the other side. At the moment they did, the creature lightly let go of Frisk’s hand, and she immediately put her hand on her knees and began to pant heavily, as she had just barely survived being hit by a malfunctioning car.

“Oh, oh my god,” Frisk said in between the panting. “I thought… I thought I was gonna die there. Holy… holy fuck.”

“Language my child,” the creature gently said.

Frisk chuckled a bit.

“All right,” she began. “I guess that’s how it’s gonna be. Funny you should only say just now though considering I distinctly remember swearing like a sailor when we first met.”

Frisk looked at the creature’s face and could tell a small hint of surprise in it.

“You did?” he asked and then looked a bit doubtful. “Well, I am very sure that I would have caught on to tha-”

Suddenly, there came a loud clanging sound in the distant.

Frisk yelped a bit in response while the creature looked worryingly in the direction of the sound. The noise didn’t come from this room, but it was still sounded close enough to be only a few walls away. It also wasn’t anything Frisk hadn’t heard before, nor was it particularly loud but in the utter droning silence of the ruins, it might as well be a roaring trumpet.

“What the hell was that!?” Frisk asked frantically.

“Wait, you heard that as well?” the creature asked in surprise.

“Uhh, yeah,” Frisk replied.

“Oh well then that must simply be a lose boulder falling on a metal board,” the creature explained and for a moment Frisk felt a bit at ease. “Either that, or yet another ghost is prowling about.”

“Wait, what?” Frisk asked in utter shock. “Did you just say ghosts? There are ghosts here? They exist!?”

“Of course,” the creature said without a hint of jest. "I forgot to mention. Sometimes old specters come to these ruins looking for habitation or simple peace and quiet. I, unfortunately, don’t know the reason why.”

“Oh god, can we please get out of her?”

“Of course Frisk, if you want to.”

“Oh I definitely want to.”

“Ok, then let's move on.”

And so they continued, and Frisk almost frantically began to tail after him.

“Ca-can you go any faster?” she asked.

The creature stopped as if to collect his thoughts.

“I want to,” he replied. “But this is, unfortunately, the fastest I’ll go. Any quicker, and I would risk dropping my son. I once did it before, and that was a horrible experience I do not wish to go through ever again.”

Frisk decided it was not worth it.

“I see,” she answered and they continued their slow traversal, despite Frisk’s actual yearnings.

Then they passed through another entrance, and Frisk saw that they were now standing in an extremely long and dark hallway.

“This hallway was once of ordinary sorts,” began the creature. “But now, it’s dark current state, it’s a test of sanity for all who wander through alone. Thankfully I have always had my son here by my side, but many have not been as fortunate.”

He took a short pause as if he was just reminded of something very unfortunate.

“Frisk,” he continued. “I suggest you stay by my side all the way through this hallway. You should never stray away from me if you value your mind.”

“W-way ahead of you,” Frisk said.

She was practically shaking at this point.

“Good,” the creature remarked. “Then follow me.”

 

After a few moments in the dreaded hallway, the near utter silence of the place finally began to get to Frisk. The only sound she could hear now was her’s and the creature’s footsteps. She had never been in such a quiet place before, and Frisk wasn’t sure whether it was that aforementioned silence of the hallway or if the nameless creature’s warning was somehow hitting her harder now, but her surroundings seemed to have somehow gotten exponentially worse despite not really being different from the previous rooms. Then, she noticed subtle distant echoes, and she felt that she could see shadows moving in the blackness. The possibility that there were actual ghosts, and other monsters in these ruins much more fitting of the term, just gave validity to what Frisk would otherwise consider nothing but paranoia.

Trying to find more comfort, she decided to turn her sight and ears to the creature that was guiding her. With nothing else to look at for a few minutes, Frisk noticed loads of things about the strange creature that she didn’t at first, including the fact that he was shaking. It was subtle enough so that you wouldn’t notice it at first glance, but once she did Frisk found it hard to ignore. It wasn’t cold here, or even one bit chilly, which meant that the creature was clearly anxious about something. Possibly due to the other monsters in this ruins, or maybe something he seemed to be hiding. If he shook any more, or if he would accidentally step on the wrong foot, he would most assuredly drop the flower in the pot. Frisk didn’t want to be around him if that happened. Frisk wasn’t sure if the creature was always shaking like this and that she just hadn’t noticed it, or if the creature also seemed to feel the immense dread as she did.

The hallway seemed to go on forever. At this point, she was practically huddled by the creature. Once again though, Frisk’s morbid curiosity came back and so she turned her head back to sneak a look at the way they came, while she was still tailing him. It was like looking down at a pit of endless darkness that kept growing and growing the further they went. She shone her phone in that direction, and the light barely reached it.

After a few seconds, Frisk had enough and stopped looking.

“How much further?” she nervously asked.

“Don’t worry child, we are nearly there.”

Thankfully for Frisk, this was not an exaggeration. Only a few more steps and they had arrived at what seemed to be finally the end of this dreaded hallway, signalled by a brick wall, a small entrance way, and a curious lonesome pillar to their left. They went through the entrance and Frisk stopped to once again take some breaths. The new room wasn’t that small compared some of the others they had been through, but it still felt like an incredibly welcome change from the seemingly endless hallway. The new room had a few piles of red leaves, and two obvious new pathways, one straight to her left, and another one further down her right. She looked through the entrance they came from, and could barely see the other end. Frisk smiled in relief.

“Thank god,” she said. “I hope there is not another hallway because I really don’t want to go through that shit again. Sorry, I know. Language. It’s just that I… uhh, mister?”

The creature didn’t seem to notice her, as it was too busy seemingly doing nothing but stare at a wall. Confused, Frisk shone her light on it but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

“What is it now?” she asked.

“Oh right,” the creature began and was pushed out of his sudden daze. “I just remembered something just now. I had completely forgotten about it, but thankfully my son was kind enough to remind me. The thing is, I need to go do something… alone.”

The creature looked at Frisk with a saddened expression on his muzzle, and Frisk felt like she knew what he was going to say, and she dreaded to hear it.

“You are going to have to stay here for a while,” he said.

Frisk could felt an immense volume of fear fill her stomach. Even though she kind of expected him to say that she still couldn’t fathom it.

“What?”

“I’m going to have to go somewhere, alone, for a while. I’m dreadfully sorry, I truly am, but-”

“Are you seriously just going to leave me here? Alone?”

“Yes,” the creature said sadly.

Frisk couldn’t believe it. She was unsure about this monster, yes, but she was more frightened about the idea of being left alone in this dark, mute place.

“Just take me with you.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”

“Why not?!”

“This place in question cannot be accessed or seen by humans. I’ve done it with other kids before and the place just vanished as soon as they arrived at it.”

Frisk line of thought almost halted when she heard that last line.

“I’m sorry?” she began. “Did you just say, other kids?”

The creature looked incredibly confused.

“Did I?” he asked in surprise.

“Of course you did!” said Frisk almost on the verge of yelling. “You…”

Frisk put her hands on her head as she wandered back and forth. There were so many thoughts going on in her head she found it hard to organize them.

“Y’know what,” she eventually said. “I am just going to come with you, and if the place vanishes then so be it.”

“That can’t be done I’m afraid.”

“I am sorry old man, but I am NOT just going to stay here ok?”

“I know you are nervous of it but I assure you I will only be gone for about a minute, at most.”

But then, without a single hint of irony in his voice, the creature said something completely contradictory to everything he had hinted at so far:

“Besides, it’s not like there is anything dangerous in these ruins. You’ll be perfectly safe where you are, no worries.”

Frisk wasn’t sure if she heard him right. Did he just say that there was nothing dangerous? After everything, he had built up?

“But… you just said earlier that there were a bunch of monsters here that wanted to take me.”

The creature looked at Frisk like he once again had no idea what she was talking about.

“Did I?” he asked. “Huh, strange. I must have misspoken or something.”

“How… how the hell was that a misspeak? You straight up said that there were monsters here that would kill me.”

“Trust me, my child,” the creature said as he chuckled. “I have made far more embarrassing errors in the past. Now as I said, there is nothing to fear here. There is nothing that can hurt you in these ruins.”

Frisk didn’t know what to think at this point. Was the creature trying to hide his contradiction, or was this just another example of his craziness? The creature seemed so convincing but he could also just be extremely good at pretending, but it also showed the same confusion when Frisk said he had mentioned other kids. Did he have some sort of terribly short term memory?

_ Just what the hell is going on in his head? _ Frisk thought.

“Y’know what?” the creature suddenly said as if an idea just popped in his head. "If anything DOES happen, just use this to reach me ok, and I promise, I’ll come right back to you.”

With that said, the creature picked up with one hand (while still holding the flower in the other) a strange object of sorts from underneath his robe, and handed it to Frisk. It was surprisingly heavy so that Frisk almost dropped it when she grabbed it. The object in question was about slightly longer than her two palms, and looked like a large rectangle with what looked like an old school antenna at one end, and was apparently made out of pure metal. On the front, or what Frisk assumed was the front, were dozens of numbers and computer symbols aligned in an order similar to an old cellphone.

_ Wait a minute _ , thought Frisk.

This item  _ was _ a cellphone. An incredibly ancient one, possibly one of the earliest ever made. Frisk recognized it from seeing it in a history magazine she read once. Frisk felt like an idiot for a moment for not recognising it at first glance, until she realized that she wouldn’t have expected to find such an item here. This was an ancient relic of course, but it really old enough to fit into the ancient and medieval feel the entire ruin gave across. Frisk wouldn’t be surprised if the creature didn’t even know what it was.

“Uh thanks,” Frisk said to the creature. “But no offence, but I already got one of those.”

She dangled her phone around to get the creature's attention to it.

“Oh no, that’s a flashlight,” the creature said and smiled. “You are not going to be able to call me with that.”

“No it’s not,” said Frisk. “Nevermind. I guessing you never seen a mobile phone before.”

“A what phone?”

“Of course,” muttered Frisk.

“Well then,” the creature said. “If you can use this strange flashlight of yours to call me, then you might not need mine after all.”

Then the creature reached out and grabbed the old phone from Frisk’s hand.

“Hang on,” she began. “Did you only have one phone?”

“Yes,” the creature said. “Why would I need more?”

“And you gave it to me… so that I could call you.”

“Of course.”

Frisk sighed. She didn’t bother to question this strange creature circular logic.

“All right,” the creature began. “I think that’s enough stalling for now. I really need to go.”

The creature began to now walk towards the furthest exit.

“Wait,” Frisk called after him. “You didn’t give me your number.”

The creature stopped and turned to face her direction.

“My number?” he asked.

Frisk sighed.

“Ok, how the hell do I call you?”

“Just use the phone,” the creature said.

At this point, Frisk mentally gave up.

“Y’know what?” she began. “If something happens, I am just going to yell instead.”

The creature smiled.

“That could do it,” he said.

Then he turned away from her and back towards the entrance.

“Now my son,” he said and looked at his flower. “Enough fumbling about. Let us go.”

Then the creature left walked down the room and towards the furthest exit. Then he turned left and completely vanished from Frisk’s line of sight. Frisk huddled down by one corner and began shining the phone’s flashlight around the room. There was no sound, or anything resembling life besides the strange piles of red leaves. Maybe there really was nothing there after all. But still, the fear of the other monsters still remained, whether they existed or not.

“Ok,” Frisk began. “Don’t freak out, don’t freak out.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the next chapter of The Royal Hunt. In this one get to learn more about Frisk and the "mysterious creature" that guides her.   
> So this was originally just the first half of a much longer chapter, but as I was writing, I realized that not only finish it in time, but it was also much longer than I anticipated. So I thought of the brilliant idea of simply spitting it in two.
> 
> Also here is a much less fun fact:  
> It might be a while before the next chapter comes out. It's not because I've lost interest in this story, far from it, but I am going to be busy as shit studying this week, with FOUR tests to prepare for, and a thousand-word essay to finish. That's also partly why I split this chapter in half. Because I didn't want to make you wait for a long time yet again. But once I'm done with the school stuff, I will get back to the story and try to get it out as early as I can. If I had to pick an estimate release date, it would be sometime in early March.
> 
> Oh and one more thing:  
> To those who are worried from this chapter that this AU is just going to be a beat-by-beat retelling of UT, but with changed roles, don't worry, this is NOT going to be one of those AU's. I am not going to spoil, but I promise you that shortly after Frisk leaves the ruins, the story will go in a completely new route and direction. It's only the first couple of chapters that follow the same formula but after that, it's a complete free-for-all.
> 
> Anyway, here is the next chapter and I hope you enjoy.


	4. The ruins Part 3

**The Ruins Part 3**

  
  


About 10 minutes had passed and the creature had still not returned. These 10 minutes, while short in hindsight, felt like a gruelling hour in this dark, silent place. Frisk hadn’t heard a thing in a while beside her uneasy breathing, and distant cavernous echoes. Even then, she still felt that she wasn’t alone.

To make matters worse, Frisk swore that she had sometimes managed to glimpse from her flashlight some silhouettes of what looked like giant frogs about the size of dogs. Were these the Froggits entities the mad creature had mentioned earlier? If so, were they harmless? Frisk figured they must be since the creature had mentioned them far earlier than he did that there were dangers here, but Frisk figured that could just be related to his unnatural memory loss. In fact, nothing she had seen for the last hour or so had been natural.

Frisk was even starting to question whether the silhouettes were even there in the first place. She had read a few things about mental illnesses online before. She didn’t know any close relatives that suffered from it, but the cause wasn’t always genetics. Could it be that the nature of this place was finally starting to make her crack? In fact, was anything around her real? Were these ancient walls and hallway mere cavernous rocks that manifested as building bricks to her mind in this near impenetrable darkness. Now that she was thinking about it, was the strange, unnatural creature from earlier even real in the first place-

_ No, _ Frisk thought to herself.  _ He was totally real. I know it. I touched him. I felt him. The texture of the dirty fur. That was too real to be a hallucination. So was the fire he spewed. I could feel its heat. I know I’m not crazy. He HAS to be real. He must be. Oh god. What even is real anymore? _

“This…” Frisk stuttered. “This place is really messing with my head it seems heh.”

It was at this moment that Frisk realized she had finally had enough.

“Fuck it,” she said and stood up.

Frisk had decided, she wasn’t going to stay anymore in this dreadful place, despite the creatures clear order not to move. Didn’t he also tell her that she was capable of making her own choices? Then why Frisk still decided to accept his bidding despite knowing that she would literally hate every second of it, she had no idea. Frisk figured she must’ve pitied the old monster, that madman, but now that he was gone to who knows where with no indication that he was ever going to return, Frisk figured that she was all on her own again.

That is… if she wasn’t always alone, to begin with-

Frisk shook that uncomfortable idea from her head again. From here on out, until she would find a more satisfying alternative answer, the creature was real, and even if he wasn’t, it didn’t matter to her at the moment. Finding a way out was all that did.

She shone her flashlight around and examined the room. There were two entrance ways, one on her left that seemed to lead to a dead end, and one further down right where the creature had headed. Frisk decided to head down that way, thinking that she might catch his trail and maybe catch up with him.

But then she looked around once more to see if she missed anything, and then she noticed from the corner of her eyes, something glittering inside other room. She couldn’t exactly see what it was, but to her, there was no mistaking it. There was something shiny in that room.

Frisk figured for a moment that this could maybe be an elaborate trap, but she couldn’t resist her curiosity and so decided to take a peek inside before continuing her way.

“My curiosity is going to be the death of me,” she muttered.

It was a small room, just about the size of two cupboards, and in the centre of it, on a thick pedestal surrounded by more red leaves, stood a large and rusty silver bowl. Right underneath it, there was something resembling a text carved into the pedestal. Curious as always, Frisk went closer to see if she could read it.

Sadly, most of the text had faded with age, but Frisk could still make out the main gist of it.

Candy, --ke one, it said in old fashioned English.

_ Who the hell would put candy in a bowl in this place _ , thought Frisk.  _ Must be that crazy monster guy. It wouldn’t surprise me, to be honest. _

Frisk decided to take a peek into the bowl, but then she hurled back immediately afterwards and put her hand on her nose.

“Gah, fuck me,” she said. “Fucking disgusting, ugh”

She only had one glimpse at the candies, but that was enough for her to say no to them.

They looked ancient and mouldy and had an incredibly foul smell resembling a rotting sugary carcass. Frisk could also swear that she saw some flies in it, or at least an insect of sorts.

“Welp,” she said. “Don’t know what I expected.”

Then she turned around and saw something that made her completely stop with fear. In the room where she had just been, there stood now dozens of silhouettes each resembling what looked like massive frogs creatures, each about the size of a small child. The figures “heads” seemed to subtly bob back and forth like a bobblehead, showing that they were clearly not static. To make matters worse, they were all staring at her like they were analyzing her.

To Frisk, there was no mistaking it. These were the same figures she had only glanced at before, and since they looked much clearer now, that could mean that they weren’t illusions.

Nervously, Frisk shone her flashlight at them, to see clearly just what these shadows could possibly be hiding.

Fortunately for her, the creatures didn’t look nearly as frightening as the build-up had anticipated.

The creatures looked like large frogs with snow-white scales, and on each of their stomachs were what looked like a second, smaller mouth. Now that they were in clear light, Frisk saw that the way they stared at her seemed more like due to ample curiosity than malice like they had never seen such strange being before. If anything, Frisk found them to look somewhat adorable.

But Frisk learned a while ago that looks could be deceiving, so she crept to them with utter carefulness.  Some of the “frogs” backed away slowly when they realized she was coming to them.

“It’s alright,” Frisk said softly. “I am not gonna hurt you.”

The creatures seemed to stop after she said that. If they couldn’t speak, they could at least understand her, much to Frisk’s relief.

_ Finally _ , she thought.  _ Some other intelligent life here. _

When Frisk was close enough the one closest, she kneeled down in front of it.

“Don’t be scared,” whispered Frisk. “I just want to see if you can help me or not.”

The frog said nothing and just croaked.

“Do perchance, know of a way out?”

The frog creature just stared at her and turned its head diagonally like a dog that was utterly confused. Frisk sighed.

“Of course you can’t understand me,” she said. “Why would you?”

Suddenly there came another clanging sound in the distance, and Frisk and all the frog creatures looked in its direction.

“Goddammit,” said Frisk. “That sound again.”

Then she turned back to the frogs and became even more nervous, because, whatever the noise was, the frog creatures looked immensely frightened of it. They began to look around themselves anxiously and some croaked frighteningly. Frisk was now scared again. These creatures obviously knew something she didn’t.

“Gu-guys? What was that sound?”  she asked, even though she was not really expecting an answer.

Then suddenly, the frog creature who looked the oldest judging by its tall size and droopy, elderly looking eyes, stared straight at Frisk and said in an uncannily human voice:

“Leave this place girl. Leave. If you know what’s best for you.”

This made Frisk more surprised than the clanging sound, so much so that she didn’t manage to absorb its message.

“I’m sorry?” she began. “You can talk?”

Then, as if on command, the frogs all began to disperse and hop away from her into any random direction.

“Hey!” Frisk yelled. “What are you doing? Come back here!”

There were so many of them and they were all jumping around so wildly that it was nearly impossible to keep track of them all. But Frisk managed to spot from the wild crowd the old looking one who spoke to her, who was heading alongside a few others down the corridor where the nameless monster went. Frisk ran towards it.

“Hey stop!” she yelled. “I wanna talk you!”

Frisk turned left and through the entrance which led to a smaller corridor. There she saw the frog creatures hopping away in the distance.

“Stop, please. I have so many questions. Can I just-”

Her foot suddenly went through the ground.

“Gah, fuck!”

She looked down at her now trapped foot. Thankfully it didn’t get damaged, but pulling it out still proved somewhat of a struggle. Frisk looked ahead and saw the frog creature vanishing in the darkness. Now mixed with utter frustration at her bad luck, Frisk used up all her might to pull it out.

“C’mon!” she said. “My leg’s not that heavy!”

Then, like pulling out an old nail, she succeeded, and the grey marble dust ran down her dirty pant leg. But before she could celebrate, Frisk heard and felt an immense rumbling. It quickly became clear to her what was happening. The floor beneath her was now crumbling.

“Oh shit!”

Not bothering to take a breath, Frisk stood up and began to run. She didn’t see the floor behind her fall, but she heard it clearly, and when she had reached the end of the corridor, she jumped and landed face first on the hard floor.

“Ouch!”

She turned around to her back and stared at the crumbled floor she had just narrowly escaped from.

“Shit,” she muttered. “That was close.”

When she had relaxed, Frisk stood up and shone her flashlight down at the newly formed pit. Even with her phone at full power, she could still just barely see the far bottom. There were what looked like piles of leaves there, but Frisk wasn’t going to take the chance that they could soften her fall.

“Welp,” she said to herself. “Sorry old man. Not getting back there again.”

She turned around and shone her flashlight down the empty corridor ahead, and she just remembered how frightening this place was when she was alone. Still though, Frisk stood determined and brave.

“Alright,” she said. “Where to now?”

 

After passing the 15th or so doorway, Frisk had completely lost track of time. All the walls and decors in these labyrinthian ruins seemed to repeat and become a pattern. It was only when she saw walls with large cracks on them that she felt she had made any progress or once or twice when she had entered a large, church sized room with pits and leaves, but these alongside the cracked walls became more infrequent as time went on. On passing the 30th doorway, all the rooms had become completely indistinguishable from one another. One time, Frisk swore that she was basically running in circles.

But as much as frustration was building up in her, that was only boosted by her urge to get out of this place of utter loneliness and terror. Throughout her entire lonesome traversal through these claustrophobic hallways with low ceilings, these empty and sometimes dusty gardens, Frisk hadn’t seen a single soul. Not any the strange frog monsters from earlier, or the crazy goat hermit, or even any insects or worms. Just utter nothingness, as if everyone who lived in these halls just went up and vanished. She had tried calling out.

“HEY ANYONE?” she had yelled. “HELLO? BIG MONSTER GUY? I THINK I’M STUCK AN-AND THESE ROOMS KEEP REPEATING! PLEASE JUST ANSWER ME! SOMETHING! ANYTHING!”

She had gotten no response, but Frisk didn’t stop until her throat began to hurt.

Frisk didn’t hate being alone. She had been so many times of her life. But that was a different kind of lonesomeness where she could still see and fathom the loud bustling of people and cars, the singing of birds and insects. But here, there was nothing. No life and no sounds save for the occasional distant echoes. Nothing. For the first time in her life, Frisk felt that she was truly alone.

Still though, Frisk refused to give up. Refused to simply kneel down on the ground and cry. She knew it wouldn’t help her. She believed there was a way out, and she was going to find it.

Then suddenly, as if whatever forces laid out there had answered her crying inward voice, she heard something that gave her much joy. Unlike the distant echoes, this sound came from very close by as if it was only a single room away, but it was what it sounded like that actually gave her joy. It sounded like deep croaking, almost identical to one of a frog. There could be no mistaking it. Frisk had found one of those frog creatures again.

She began to run towards it. She had become so desperate for another life, something she didn’t think she ever would. Frisk didn’t care at the moment whether it was unintelligent, non-sapient, or anything. She just needed someone, something, anything to keep her company, so much so that she didn’t notice the unusual amount of dust on the floor she was stepping on.

“HEY THERE!” she yelled “I NEED YOUR HELP! PLEASE JUST STAY THERE, I NEED TO-”

Then she turned the corner and saw something pretty unusual, or at least unusual compared to what she had begun to expect. It was yet another of those frog creatures, but this one seemed immensely different, and a bit more frightening. Not only was it grotesquely fat, but its eyes looked dead and bloodshot like a zombie. The mouths, that being the “main” one and the little one on the stomach were overwhelmingly brimming with pale dust, so that a decent volume of it began leaking down them alongside the dripping saliva, like a bucket overfilled with snow.

The way the creature stared at her, with hunger in its coal black eyes, made Frisk regret immensely in revealing herself by shouting.

“Hu-human,” it croaked.

Frisk backed down in terror.

“I-I’m sorry,” she said. “I think I mistook you for someone else.”

The frog’s saliva seemed to increase.

“Hu-hungry,” it croaked and sounded almost as frightened as Frisk. “Pl-please help me. Th-this hunger… it never ends. It just doesn’t end.”

“Th-that’s too bad,” Frisk began. “But sorry. I-I don’t know how to help you.”

The frog’s expression seemed to suddenly change into utter sadness.

“I think you do,” it said.

Frisk didn’t like the implication of that sentence.

“I-I’m sorry,” she said. “It was nice knowing you mister… but I think I need to go now.”

The frog noticed her backing away.

“Please,” it begged. “I want to try. Try to see if it would satiate me. Please. Just a foot. That’s all I will ask of you.”

Frisk began to back away faster.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

Then she turned around and began to run away.

“Hey, HEY GET BACK HERE.”

Suddenly, dozens of small, white, spiky spear looking things materialized in the air in front of her.

“What the hell!?”

Then the spikes began to fly at her like homing missiles, and in a hasty decision, Frisk turned back around. The fat frog stood still there and had a groaning face like it was constipated. The missiles were no mere coincidences, Frisk figured. The frog was some sort of sorcerer.

“You- you are not getting away,” it said, and even more spikes materialized in front of it.

Before Frisk could react, the spears flew towards her in an unnaturally high speed, none of them hitting her, but enough to send her completely off balance and fall on her back.

“Gah!”

She hit her head on something falling down, causing immense pain and her vision to get incredibly dizzy. But just as her vision got better, Frisk saw that the frog was on top of her.

She screamed, and pushed it away from her with surprising ease despite the monster’s size, but then there materialized something heavy which pulled her back down. She looked at her arms and saw something resembling white bricks holding them down. Then, with utter fright and a growing feeling of hopelessness, she looked back on the fat frog, whose mouths were still filled with falling dust, as it hopped back towards her.

“Get the fuck away from me!” Frisk yelled.

“I’m so sorry,” the frog said as it jumped back on top of her. “But you left me no choice. I am really, honestly sorry about this, believe me. But I am just so hungry, and you’re the only living thing with matter I’ve seen in years. You could be just the key I need. I promise I will be quick, but I cannot promise that I will only stop at the foot. I would like to apologize a whole lot preemptively, but I might end up eating you whole. Please, forgive me.”

Then the frog turned her leg, and with its upper mouth licked its lips.

“Pl-please don’t,” mutter Frisk.

“GET AWAY FROM HER!”

Suddenly the room lighted up by a distant fire. Frisk knew what it was, and her heart was instantly filled back with hope. It was the large goat monster, who left her behind, and he stood in the room, both arms filled with orange flames, and his blue and orange eyes shining unnaturally bright, and his face was filled with rage. The fat frog looked at the old creature and its white face became immensely filled with a fearful expression that said: “not him”.

The frog hurriedly jumped of Frisk and tried to hop away the best it could. The nameless creature fired dozens of small fireballs in its direction, to the point of almost burning the room up, and just as the fat frog began to think it could maybe escape, it was hit point blank by a large hurling fireball that sent it almost flying of its balance. The fire quickly engulfed the poor frog creature, and it let out an unnatural screech, unlike anything Frisk had heard of before, and then it fell down limp on the floor. Then there flew some weird, grey energy from its charred body, and when the fire quickly faded, the charred remains crumbled into dust, completely unmistakable from the ones it’s mouths were filled with earlier.

Frisk laid on the floor and panted heavily, as she watched the tall monster walk towards the newly formed dust pile, and then pick up some with his palm to examine. She also noticed that the immense weight on her had vanished. Frisk looked at the arms and saw no white bricks or anything that suggested they had been there. Frisk sighed in relief and looked back at the large monster.

“Th-thanks,” she said.

She didn’t bother being angry at him, especially since he had just saved her. Then the creature, seemingly not having taken notice of her gratitude, turned towards Frisk with an angry look in his face.

“What did I tell you!” he said, sounding almost on the verge of yelling.

Frisk was taken back immensely by that.

“Wh-what?”

“Didn’t I tell you to stay?” the creature continued. “Stay exactly where you were? So that things like this wouldn’t have happened?”

Frisk couldn’t fathom it. This monster was angry at her? When he was the one that left her alone? Now, all the anger and frustration Frisk felt towards the monster came running back to her. He didn’t deserve to be angry towards Frisk. Not for what he did.

“He-hey wait just a minute!” she protested and stood up. “Are you really questioning me? After all the shit you pulled?”

“Language!” the creature said harshly. “Do not speak back to me like that!”

“Oh shut up!” Frisk said. “After what I’ve been through I think I at least fucking deserve to do that much!”

“Language!”

“Ok first of all,” Frisk began. “Where the hell did you go that was so important to leave me behind for so long, I honestly feel like I deserve to know!”

“It was not important!” the creature insisted. “What was important was for you to stay! Instead, you disobeyed me with you utter impatience!”

“U-utter impatience? I’m sorry, but you were gone for a long, LONG time. I don’t know how it works to your people, but most humans my age aren’t keen on staying alone and defenceless in utter fucking darkness.”

“Hey, language!”

“Oh stop with that!” Frisk angrily said. “You are not my dad, and even if you were, is that really your fucking priority here? My language? Not you trying to help me get out of this hellhole where I remind you, I almost got killed?”

“That’s only because you didn’t stay still exactly as I asked you to!”

“What the- what the fuck did you think I would've done back there? You fucking left me behind back there! Alone! In a place with god knows how many monsters and NOTHING to defend me with! Besides, didn’t you just say that there were dangerous monsters her?”

Frisk pointed at the pile of dust that used to be the frog.

“The what the hell is this then!”

“Tha-that was a rare exception.”

“Then why the hell wasn’t I allowed to move?” Frisk yelled. “Are you that paranoid over the smallest things? Besides, didn’t you also say that I was allowed to make my own choices, or did you just suffer another convenient memory loss about that?”

“It’s not that I don’t want you to make choices,” the creature said and his tone of anger was beginning to sound more like desperation. “But you could have gotten hurt! You could have fallen in a crevice or be attacked by random strangers, which may I remind you, is exactly what happened! You could have been killed! Gods, I dread to think what would’ve happened if that happened. A child dead under my watch, and… and… it would’ve been  _ my fault _ . Be- because I didn’t take care of them hard enough, because I left them alone. Because I… I...”

The creature became suddenly silent as if every light inside of him was turned off.

It was then that the creature did something that Frisk did not expect from him in the slightest. He was beginning cry. There was no doubt about it. Dozens of tears were running down the creatures furry cheek and down his golden beard.

Frisk didn’t know what to think now, as her irritation toward the seemingly controlling monster seemed to be slowly being replaced by pity and empathy.

“I-I’m sorry mister,” Frisk said calmly. “I didn’t mean to-”

Suddenly, the creature leapt into her and hugged her tight.

“What are you- hey let go of me!”

The creature was now weeping, and Frisk felt the gigantic tears run down her hoodie.

“Let me go! Let.. me…”

Frisk began to slow down in her struggle against the creature’s grasp when she began to finally hear the creature's words through all his loud sobbings.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry,” the creature muttered. “I left you. You could have been killed because I left you. I’m so sorry. You were right. I should not have done that. I should have taken you with me. I was so stupid to leave you all alone out there. Oh, gods. Why did I-”

Frisk couldn’t believe it. She was feeling for this creature. The same creature that she was terrified of just a moment before, and one she just barely knew. But in this strange, perhaps overacting moment on the creature’s part, Frisk felt that he was strangely human. Instead of the frightful, untrusty and mad creature she had come to recognize, she began to consider whether she was being hugged by a sad and lonely old man, that although crazy and unsure how to properly behave, seemed to have a good heart concealed behind terrible decision makings and awful word choices. Or at least, that’s what Frisk currently felt, outside of the uncomfortable tightness of the creature’s incredibly strong embrace.

“Hey, hey,” she said in a calm voice. “It’s ok. It’s ok.”

After a short while, the creature let go and Frisk found herself finally able to properly breathe again. The creature wiped the remaining tears from his heterochromic eyes with the back of his hand.

“Sorry about that,” the creature said. “A bit of an overreaction on my part. I just wanted you to know I was sorry and-”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” said Frisk. “I mean you’re right, it was totally an overreaction, but that’s fine, that’s completely fine. At least I think I understand you better now, I guess.”

The creature chuckled.

“I should get going now,” he said. “It’s getting late. Do you want to come with me or…”

“Right back at you,” replied Frisk.

And so the two of them walked together again.

“Hey,” began Frisk. “Sorry about lashing out at you back there.”

“Nah, don’t be,” the creature said. “You had every right to be angry. I know that now.”

“Ok then,” replied Frisk. “Whatever you say, old man.”

The creature chuckled again.

“Y’know,” he began. “You kind of remind me of a daughter I had actually. She… wait a minute. Daughter? That’s not right. They were a boy, weren’t they? A boy, yeah. I had two sons… I think. Wait. Are they even mine?”

The creature noticed Frisk confused expression and realized he was rambling again.

“Bah,” the creature said and smiled. “Such needless details. They tend to… well, slip my mind sometimes.”

Frisk chuckled. She was getting used to his eccentricity and weird memory losses.

“So um,” began Frisk. “Where is this other son, or daughter or whatever at now?”

The creature smile waned as if he had just remembered something he didn’t want to talk about.

“I do not know,” he said simply. “Maybe they’ve gone home. Maybe they’re far away, or maybe they never existed in the first place. I simply just don’t know anymore.”

“Oh, well sorry for asking.”

“Nah, that’s ok.”

Suddenly, Frisk just realized something was missing.

“Hey speaking of children,” she began. “Where the hell is your flower- er, I mean your son at?” she asked.

“Oh I brought him home actually,” the creature said and his smile instantly returned. “I figured he would be  bored staying with me, wandering around all day, so I dropped him at our home on the way here.”

“Oh,” began Frisk. “So where is this home exactly?”

“It’s very close by in fact,” the creature said. “Just right pass this corridor.”

Then the two of them walked over a small patch of grass that had grown on the ground, and turned to a passage to the left, over another patch of leaves. Suddenly, they were in a large open room, with the ceiling being cavern walls far above them. The first thing Frisk saw of note in it was a large, singular dead tree in the centre that was clearly intentionally planted a long time ago. All the leaves had fallen off it, so it looked like there was a red circular bush around the stump. But it was what was behind the dead tree that was of much more interest to Frisk.

It was a cosy and small house made of bricks, looking like it had been built in, and sculpted out of the old ruins. There was only one floor, with two windows in front with dozens of red leaves underneath each one.

Just looking at this place gave Frisk immense comfort. It gave her nostalgic feelings of old, comfy cabins she used to visit when she was very young, away from the loudness and busyness of her old city. She had almost forgotten this hidden realm of calmness and solitude, but the old looking walls, the small empty garden and the clean air dragged those memories back from the depths of her subconsciousness. This place, in short, made her feel calm.

“Welcome,” the creature began. “To my home.”

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, sorry for the wait. Honestly, I expected me to finish this part much later.
> 
> I don't have much to say now. I will mention that perhaps my only downside with fanfictions, and that maybe relates to most fanworks in general, is that there are not any editors of sorts involved to help you out. Some of you may know that I fancy criticism as long as it's constructive, but in the chaotic world of fanfiction, nothing of the sort is there. Of course, editors aren't necessary in this hobby, but for aspiring writers such as myself, it basically means that I have to much boring work once I've "finished" the story, which boils down to reading the draft back, fixing any errors or things I don't like, and then copy paste it into Grammarly since Google drive doesn't support it for some reason, and THEN going back and formatting the story, putting in current fonts, and so on. But even then, there does occasionally slip through the crack some errors that I don't notice until I run over the stories after I have already published them and I think to myself: "Why the hell didn't I notice this before?"
> 
> Anyway, am I rambling? I think I'm rambling now. Eh, whatever. For now, just enjoy the story (or don't, I'm not forcing you) and hope you stay for the next.


	5. The ruins Part 4

**The Ruins Part 4**

  
  


Unfortunately, the interior of the monster’s home proved to be much more disappointing than the exterior. Like the tunnels, it was very dark and it was hard to see. Thankfully though, there were dozens of candles placed throughout which the large monster promptly lighted using his fingers. The next thing he did was light the fireplace in the living room, and the sofas and table brightened up with an orange hue, like from an evening sun. Now that Frisk could see much clearer, the felt that the place looked a bit better, but only for the most part. Also, other less visible issues now popped up in the light. Frisk saw that the wallpapers looked old and lifeless, with some tearing off or falling into a state of rot. There were cobwebs at almost every corner, and the wooden floor creaked uncomfortably with every step. What was worse, as Frisk soon noticed, was that in the hallway, there were missing planks that had been evidently been ripped out.

The few pieces of furniture that were in the house, while dusty and unclean, looked the most competently made things so far. But they also looked dull and colourless and were nothing you’d be surprised find in an ordinary home. They were mundane things like cupboards in the hallway and table and chairs in the living room. The only extraordinary thing of note was the potted sunflower that the monster kept calling his “son”, which was now placed in one of the two sofas in the living room, rather than on a solid surface like a cupboard or a windowsill like any sensible person would place it.

“Now then, how do you like it?” the creature asked as they stood in the living room.

Frisk stayed quiet for a few seconds before she answered. She didn’t want to upset him, but she also found it hard to hide her disappointment.

“Well, it uh… looks alright,” she said.

Then she saw the smile starting to wane of the creature's muzzle.

“Bu-but with some small changes and a bit of hard work,” she hastily added. “This place could become something special I think.”

The creature smile returned.

“Well that’s good to hear,” he said. “Well, I’ll be in the kitchen then. Do you like pies?”

“Uh, yeah I like pies,” she said.

Frisk was kind of taken aback by the randomness of that question but she decided to play along.

“What kind?”

“Umm, all kinds I guess. I honestly rarely have one so I guess I’m open to anything.”

The creature became thoughtful for a moment.

“Do you like…” he began after a while. “Cinnamon or butterscotch perhaps?”

“Uh yeah,” replied Frisk. “Cinnamon or butterscotch sounds good.”

“Ok, then which one do you prefer? Should the pie be made of cinnamon or butterscotch? Maybe a bit of both?”

“Both sounds good.”

“Well, then it’s decided.”

A smile widened on the monsters muzzle.

“Well I’ll be in the kitchen then,” he said and walked away.

Once he was in, Frisk heard the sound of rumbling through cupboards and a soft hiss of gas.

_ There is a working oven in a place like this? _ she thought.

“Now I honestly don’t think I’ll live up to my wife’s cooking!” the creature yelled from the kitchen. “But I’ll try my hardest at least! Make yourself at home in the meantime! Look around, play in the garden, do whatever you kids fancy these days! I’ll call you when it’s ready ok?”

“Whatever you say!” Frisk yelled back.

She sat down in the unoccupied sofa that had grown warm thanks to the flaming fireplace. She looked around. Frisk felt the place didn’t look half as bad now that she wasn’t getting somewhat used to it.

_ At least it’s not the freaking hallways _ , she thought.

She examined the sunflower that “sat” on the sofa chair opposite her. The orange flames from the fireplace returned familiar colour and light to the flower.

Frisk felt that this flower was perhaps the strangest aspect of the monster when it came to personality. There was nothing about it that made it stand out from other sunflowers, yet the monster seemed utterly convinced that this one was his son. Frisk couldn’t figure out why. Perhaps it was just a delusion on the monster’s part, possibly brought out by the immense loneliness of these ruins. But why this flower in particular? Frisk considered that maybe it was already put into a pot when the monster found it.

Or perhaps, as crazy as it would normally sound, maybe this flower really was his son. Maybe he was cursed and transformed by a witch or the like and the monster knew. Maybe these monster creatures just sometimes give birth to sunflowers, or maybe these monsters start like this until they grow into something else. Could it then be that the dozens of sunflowers she landed on earlier were also children? If that were the case, were they sentient? Is this singular sunflower in the chair sentient?

As Frisk kept staring into the flower and began to notice every detail of the leaves and the pistil, a strange sensation crept up from the back of her head. She didn’t know why but staring at this flower slowly filled her with dread, and a touch of…  _ sadness _ ? Frisk peered closer. There was something about it, she was sure now. Then she felt something else. A very unusual, dreadful feeling. The reason why, Frisk found it hard to fathom, but it was if… the flower was calling to her-

“Hey Frisk!” the monster yelled from the kitchen. “I just realized I’m out of butterscotch, and it’s too late to run to the store! I am dreadfully sorry but is it ok if I skip the butterscotch and just bake a cinnamon pie?”

The sudden disruption of the eerie quietness pulled Frisk from her the depths of her thoughts.

“Uhh yeah!” she yelled. “Cinnamon pie is ok?”

“Ok good to know!”

Now that she was back to reality, she looked back at the flower and saw nothing of note. She had no idea why she was so hypnotized by it for a moment.

_ It’s just a dumb flower _ , she thought and stood up.

She began to examine a nearby bookcase. Frisk felt somewhat bored now, which she still considered being a somewhat upgrade from feelings of utter dread. There was no internet signal to speak of, and the few books in the bookcase were unfortunately either mysteriously burnt up, illegible, or in a language completely alien to her. The only exception was a boring, old book that was nothing but a study of snails. The disappointment felt immeasurable to Frisk, as she now dearly wanted to learn more about monsters and the history of this strange new lifeform.

Frisk left the living room, wanting to explore the rest of the house. There were 3 other doors in the hallway and a staircase that lead down to what looked like a basement. She careful crept down the hallway as she felt the creaking floor could crack open with any large step, and also because she didn’t want to step into any of the holes formed by the missing planks. The first two doors were unfortunately locked, and Frisk expected the third and last one to be another disappointment Fortunately for her, the door was open.

“Third time's the charm,” she said to herself and wandered in.

The monster had evidently not been in this room since they got here since there were no candles making it pitch black. Not one to let much get in the way of her desperate curiosity, Frisk picked up her phone, turned on the flashlight and shone it around. This room was obviously a bedroom of sorts, possibly belonging to the large monster judging by the massive bed to the right and the large desk with a singular drawer to her left. There was also a large bookcase, which unfortunately proved to be empty.

Then she shone her light on the desk, and there was something on top of it which instantly caught her attention. She thought it was a large, painting canvas at first. Then Frisk shone her light on it and saw it. This was a map. A handmade map that was most likely drawn by the monster. Not only that but judging by the labyrinthian structure of the pathways and buildings, this was a map of the ruins. Frisk became almost overjoyed by this discovery.

_ This is it _ , she thought.  _ This could be the key to getting me home. I guess I should maybe tell the monster guy first. Kinda starting to feel bad for him _ .

Growing more curious, Frisk opened the drawer of the desk, hoping to find something else of interest, which she did. It was a large diary which had evidently been used recently judging by how little dust covered it. Frisk checked outside the door and down the hallway to see if the monster was coming. She saw no signs of him, but distant burning candles. And so she sat down and began to peruse the diary, gently flipping pages as to not accidentally tear it.

The first thing Frisk noticed was that the first half of the book was torn out. Whoever did wasn’t subtle or careful about it either, as there were dozens of ripped residues left hanging inside. It was like the pages were ripped out in a rush.

Whatever content was left almost didn’t prove much of interest. Most of the entries followed similar patterns, in which they started with some coherent, although a bit clumsy, sentences written in pitch black ink. All of the entries started with the sentence “nice day today” and then they went into describing in quick successions the same mostly mundane activities of waking up, eating breakfast, grooming the sunflower, and then just perusing around the ruins. Frisk would have found it uninteresting, and most likely would have forgotten it instantly after putting it away, if it wasn’t for the fact that in almost each and every entry, the sentences became more and more incoherent until they completely devolved into chaotic squiggles, like the author had a stroke or suddenly began to freak out. From the little that Frisk could read near the end of the entries, just before they became illegible, she could see that there was always mentions of the monster waiting for someone. Like it would say something like him hoping that “he or she” would appear today or that today would be a good day for “him or her” to appear. The way it was phrased didn’t make it clear whether the monster even knows who he’s waiting for.

The last entry was the only one that didn’t turn illegible, but that was only because it was half finished, most likely because it was for the day today. Even then, there were some signs of the writing getting worse and uneven by the last sentence.

Feeling mostly disappointed, Frisk carefully closed the small book and put it into the drawer which she then promptly closed. She went back out to the hallway and stared down it. There was only one place she hadn’t checked yet, and that was downstairs. Frisk carefully crept down the hallway again, and once again the floor creaked with every step. She wondered on her way how so little of the floor had broken so far, considering the owner of the place must weigh a lot judging by large his size and build.

Once Frisk had reached the staircase, she looked down it and immediately learned what happened to those missing planks on the floor. On the end of the staircase was a singular door, and for some strange reason, the door was boarded up closed with the missing planks, as if to keep something in… or out. The planks weren’t nailed though, rather they were kept up with dangling, grey duct tape.

_ Either he doesn’t own nails _ , Frisk thought.  _ Or he’s too unstable to operate them properly. Don’t know which one is more likely _ .

“Oh there you are my child,” the creature said.

Frisk looked towards his direction and saw that he was standing in the living room doorway and had dozens of white and brown stains on his robe.

“I couldn’t find you where I last put you,” he said. “I was afraid I might have to go look through the entire ruins again.”

“Do you… not have an apron or something?” Frisk asked.

“Oh.”

The creature looked down on his now unclean robe.

“Eh it washes off,” he said. “It always does. Oh and by the way, I came to inform you that the pie is almost ready. It just needs a little while in the oven and then it’s good to go.”

“Ok I’ll be right there,” Frisk said and looked back at the door.

The creature seemed to notice the way she examined it and smiled in a way like he was reminded of someone, someone who used to do the exact same thing Frisk was currently doing.

“Curious about this door my child?” he asked gently. “Heh, I would be too if I were you. But with all my heart, I advise that you will never, ever try to open it.”

“Why?” asked Frisk. “What’s down there?”

The creature went behind Frisk and put both his hands on her shoulders. Then he looked at the door for a while as if he was thinking how to proceed. The smile on his snout was gone.

“Down there...” he began. “ _ Lay only the evilest things ever dreamt up from the dark deep imaginations of the most wicked monsters _ . An amalgamation yours and anyone's worst possible fears and nightmares made manifest. Famine, war, death, chaos, disease. Countless things a wicked soul can possibly think of. I have seen countless of friends, families,  _ children even _ , let their curiosity best them and walk through there. None have returned.”

Frisk stood still and listened at the door. There were no sounds. Nothing resembling stirs or movements.

“Can’t hear anything,” Frisk said.

“Ahh, that’s the thing about evil,” the creature said. “It’s quiet, it’s subtle. It grabs hold of you when you least expect it, and then, more often than not, it will be too late to do anything. You see, it wasn’t this bad when we first arrived here, believe me. It was barely noticeable in fact, otherwise, I never would have made it my home. But through the years it has grown and grown even beyond my wildest fears. So I boarded it up, hoping that the tightness of the corridors would stop its growth and that no soul would ever again try to enter. Although, I do shudder when I consider, that my actions might turn out futile and that one day it will grow so large, that it will burst through these barriers and swallow us and the whole world whole.”

“Alright,” said Frisk, trembling. “If it’s so bad then why haven’t you destroyed it.”

“Destroyed it?” asked the goat creature. “Oh, my dear child. If only it were so simple.”

Suddenly, the eerie atmosphere was interrupted by a sudden ding sound. Evidently, a microwave had just finished baking something.

“Oh,” the creature said. “That must be the pie. You know what? I think we should just forget about this door for the time being and move our thoughts on filling up our empty stomachs with some delicious pie, don't ya think?”

“Uhh, yeah that sounds great.”

“Alrighty then.”

And so the creature went away to the kitchen, after wiping off the stains on his shirt with one hand. Frisk stayed behind and stared at the door for a good while. She was now terrified of it, but Frisk kept staring and listening out of morbid curiosity, hoping to catch some stirs or creaking or simply anything that could give her a hint, but she felt nothing. But Frisk found the stillness of it somehow more frightening.

“Are you coming Frisk?” the creature called from the kitchen. “You don’t want your pie to get cold do you?”

“Just a minute!” Frisk yelled back.

She glanced at the door one more time and then left to the living room, trying her hardest not to think about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So once again, here is another chapter that was originally one until it was split in two due to unexpected length. I am sorry if you find it too short or disappointing, but I promise you that in the next one a lot more development begins happening. Also, the next chapter is practically half finished so it will come pretty soon. It's also one of my favourite chapters so far, so that might hype things up a bit.
> 
> I don't have much else to say TBH. Just enjoy this fic, or not, and I hope you guys stick for the rest.


	6. The ruins Part 5

**The Ruins Part 5**

  
  


On the large living room table, there now stood a large and brown bread like object surrounded dozens of small candles formed in an irregular pattern. Occupying one seat was the strange potted flower. Frisk took a seat by one end of the table and examined the ugly thing, which Frisk could only guess was supposed to be the pie. It looked closer to a burnt, circular loaf of bread, clearly not meant for eating. Despite not really expecting much, Frisk still found herself disappointed.

“Is that the pie?” she asked.

“Of course,” the creature gently said. “What else would it be?”

“I dunno,” Frisk replied. “Looks more like burnt toast.”

“Well in any case, why don't you try it out? It’s good.”

He took out a large, dull kitchen knife and slowly carved out a slice. Then he put it on a small, unclean plate and let it slide across the table towards Frisk.

She then stared down at the dark brown object on her plate. Up close, it looked almost identical to dirt. Suddenly, this filthy thing on her plate brought back dozens of memories of old fairy tales with monsters and their unfavourable choice of food, and Frisk was now starting to feel apprehensive again.

“What’s in it?” she asked the monster.

“Oh, just sugar, cinnamon, that kind of stuff,” the creature replied. “You don’t… like those sort of things?”

Frisk looked at him doubtfully.

“Any other ingredients you forgot to mention?” she asked. “Anything of… the human variety perhaps?”

“Oh no none at all,” the creature reassured. “Try some. I hope it’s good.”

Frisk hesitated again, but then she noticed how the creature seemed so proud of his little creation. Also the large, almost fake, reassuring grin on his muzzle seemed to yell, “please”. And so, Frisk decided to take the monsters word for it, despite all that her instincts were telling her.

“Alright,” she said.

She picked up a small dirty spoon and prepared herself for the “pie”.

“It can’t be that bad right?” she mumbled under her breath.

She carved out a spoonful and felt how the inside seemed much softer than the exterior. Frisk let the bite hang on her spoon a bit, at examined the way it seemed to softly drip down on the table like mud.

_ Here comes the aeroplane _ , she thought and put it in her mouth.

Frisk gagged. It tasted more putrid than it looked, the way the dry bits mingled in her mouth alongside the mud like, semi-liquid that filled the insides made her feel like she was eating dirt mixed with mud. Either that or a long expired cookie found in some unclean back alley.

“Oh god,” Frisk said with her mouth full.

She couldn’t help herself. It tasted so awful, she couldn’t get herself to be the least bit polite about this. The creature was beginning to take notice.

“Is it not good?” he asked with a worrying expression.

“No, no, no, it’s fine,” Frisk lied. “It’s fine. It’s perfectly alright. I just… I just ate it wrong its all. It’s fine, see?”

Then she put another spoonful of the moist dirt into her mouth and she gagged again.

“See!” she said while attempting not to spit it out. “Perfectly alright!”

“It don’t look alright,” the creature said. “It’s fine. You can be honest with me. If you don’t like it, then I won’t get upset.”

Frisk gagged again and hurled the half eaten piece back onto her plate.

“Oh god I’m sorry,” she said and cleaned her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Don’t be,” the creature said. “You were honest. That’s what's important.”

“Uhhh, ok,” Frisk replied.

“In any case,” the creature said. “I think I have something that's possibly much more to your liking. My boy Flowey will just eat the rest of the pie. I'm sure he’s gonna love it.”

Frisk glanced at the plain, empty sunflower.

“Yeah I hope he does,” she said with the faintest hint of sarcasm.

The creature stood up.

“Well just stay here for a while, I’ll be back in a moment,” he said and headed to the kitchen.

Once he was there, Frisk could hear the rumbling through cupboards and closets as if the creature was hurryingly looking for something.

“Now I don’t think I’ll ever match my wife’s cooking!” he yelled from the kitchen. “Now there was a great chef! Absolutely spectacular! She made some of the best pies, much to the envy of the other folk! Ahhhh, can’t wait for when she comes back home!. Home from... wherever she is now, Hope it’s soon though because I’m slowly starting to forget her!”

_ Well, that’s sad _ , Frisk thought.

Suddenly, she noticed something curious about the creature’s saying.

_ Hang on, could this wife maybe be the person he said he was waiting for in the diary? _

“But since she is not here!” the creature continued. “I guess we just have to make ends meet! Now, where is it… aha, here it is!”

He back came from the kitchen, holding something that looked like a large doughnut, and placed it on Frisk’s plate. The doughnut looking thing was obviously not of the creatures making, as it looked a lot more polished and well made. Frisk felt completely enamoured by it.

“This looks good,” she said. “One of your wife’s cooking I’m guessing?”

“Oh, I wish it was,” the creature replied. “This piece of pastry was actually made by spiders in fact.”

“I’m sorry what?” Frisk asked in confusion. “Did you just say spiders?”

“Oh yes, spiders,” the creature said without a hint of irony within him. “They are charming little creatures. Innocent and can be found almost everywhere here in the ruins. But they are also not very bright and are easily fooled. Very easily on fact. One day I ran out of money during my monthly visit to them. So you know what I did? I tricked them by giving them a crown made of pure gold and all they gave me was this single doughnut.”

The creature chuckled proudly.

“Heh, silly little creatures. Such an object is worth more than a king’s ransom, but to them, it was no more worthy than a single penny. I still laugh about that moment till this day.”

“Uhhh… yeah,” Frisk said. “You sure showed them.”

She decided not to wrap her head around yet another of the monster’s twisted logic and instead turned her attention to the doughnut that sat in front of her.

The circular bread was ink black, and the thick glaze was coloured purple complete with a black overlay that formed a spider web pattern. Frisk took a small bite, just to check it. The black coloured dough was soft, and the thick glaze melted in her mouth and filled it with a sweet sugary flavour.

“Oh my god, this is so good!” Frisk exclaimed, and the creature smiled in relief.

Frisk wasn’t sure if the doughnut was actually that tasty or whether or not it was just so compared to the “pie” she had from earlier, but whatever the case, Frisk didn’t care and quickly took another bite. This time however she felt herself bite something hard and small with a strange juice interior. Frisk hoped it was some sort of chocolate chip.

“Well that’s good you like it,” the creature said in excitement. “Very good, very good indeed. Well, I’ll keep it in mind the next we’ll have a treat like this. Whenever my son here wants some pie, I’ll just jump on out of here and visit the spiders for a moment. Just for you.”

Frisk smiled. Maybe this monster wasn’t so bad after all.

But as much this moment fancied her, there was something biting her mind. Something, she felt needed to be discussed.

“Uhhh old man?” Frisk began with a full mouth.

“Yes?” the creature asked.

Frisk swallowed the bite.

“Look, man,” she continued. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, I really do. But the thing is… I barely know you, and I kinda wanna go home.”

The creature looked bewildered.

“Home?” he asked as if he didn’t understand that word.

“Yeah home,” Frisk replied. “You know, where I am from? Up there?”

She pointed upwards with one hand.

“The surface?” she continued. “Like I said, you’re nice and all, but I have some things to do. I have some people up there and…”

She paused for a while.

“I have some people that are waiting for me. I don’t want them to needlessly worry, and I can’t contact them with my phone for some reason. I have to let them know I’m fine and things like that. But I promise though, I will try to visit you as much as I can. Once a month, at least. I swear, and I promise I won’t tell anyone else about this place if you’d like that.”

The creature leaned further back into his chair, and then put on a thoughtful posture.

“I see,” he began. “You have some other people waiting for you, you say? A family perhaps?”

Frisk’s face turned a bit melancholy after hearing that last question.

“I guess you could call it that,” she softly replied.

The creature chuckled a bit and smiled.

“Y’know it’s been so long,” he began. “I’ve seen so few people, and loved even fewer, so much so that I have almost completely forgotten what a family is anymore.”

The creature sat in thoughtful silence for a while and the quietness was starting to make Frisk feel somewhat uncomfortable.

“Oh goodness me,” the creature suddenly said and quickly stood up. “I just realized. It’s very late and it’s time for bed.”

Frisk snickered. She didn’t believe him.

“What the hell are you talking about?” she said and pulled out her phone. “It’s only-”

Frisk stopped mid-sentence when she looked at the phone screen, where it said in big numbers the time was almost eleven-thirty at night. Frisk couldn’t believe it. She could have sworn it was only morning when she fell.

_ Have I been down here for that long? _ she thought.

“This… doesn’t make any sense,” she said to the monster. “We’ve only been here for like what? 3 hours at the most?”

The creature shrugged.

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” he said and smiled.

He picked up the potted flower with both his hands, while Frisk was stuck in confused thoughts.

_ Did I set the time up wrong? _ She thought.  _ This all feels too convenient. Convenient for him that is. _

“We'll continue our conversation tomorrow ok?” the creature said. “Just get some rest for tonight and the next morning, where we're wide awake and with clearer minds, we'll discuss your departure.”

“Don’t I get a word in this?” Frisk asked.

“Of course you do,” the creature said. “It’s just a recommendation, is all. But you don’t really want to stay awake all night, do you? It’s not good for your health.”

Frisk gave out an impatient sigh.

“I’m not even tired,” she exclaimed.

“Bah, nonsense,” the creature said. “I see it in your face. You’re as wrinkly as my late mother. You’ll fall asleep easily, you’ll see.”

“Ok then let’s image that I actually am very tired in fact,” Frisk said. “So where the hell am I supposed to sleep ‘cause I ain't sleeping in your bed?”

“In your own room of course.”

Then the creature reached his hand underneath his cloak and pulled out a rusty, gold keychain.

“Wait,” Frisk began. “My room?

“Yes,” the creature said. “Let me show you.”

The creature walked slowly out of the living room with the keychain in one hand and the flower in the other.  

_ I guess I’ll follow him _ , Frisk thought.  _ Don’t think I have much choice. _

Then she quickly ate the last doughnut piece and stood up.

The creature stopped at the first door in the hallway. Frisk noticed how his hand seemed to shake a little as he proceeded to put the key inside. It followed almost exactly the same rhythms as the way he shook in the dreadfully long hallway from earlier.

_ Was he always shaking like this and I’ve just missed it? _ Frisk thought.

But without much effort, the creature twisted and turned the key inside and opened up the door. The creature gave a satisfactory smile and looked at Frisk who stood still in the hallway.

“Come on in,” he said. “Take a look.”

Frisk stood still. Something felt off about this.

“Come now,” the creature said. “The door won’t bite.”

“You go in first,” Frisk said.

The creature looked at her confused, and then he just shrugged.

“I don’t see why not?” he said and entered the room.

_ Maybe he’s not trying to lure me after all _ , Frisk thought.  _ But let’s not put down my suspicions just yet. _

She glanced into the room and became almost stunned in surprise. She had expected a dirty and almost empty room with dozens of cobwebs and maybe a single mattress, but what she saw instead joyfully surprised her. It wasn’t the best looking room she had ever seen, but it was miles better than anything she had seen in the ruins so far, or even anything in this “house”.

Like the flower, this singular room was given a lot more care than any of the other of its kind, what with the wooden floors being almost spotless and clean, with a large red rug in the centre which colours matched that of the surrounding wallpapers. There were a few cupboards, a singular closet and a toy box filled with various toys.

Frisk walked inside the room, just make sure she wasn’t having some sort of strange illusion. It was like she had wandered through a portal that led to a completely different house. The way it paralleled to the rest of the ruins seemed completely unnatural.

“See?” the creature began. “There is nothing to fear at all. Now then, what do you think?”

“This is nice,” Frisk commented, and this time she meant it.

The creature smiled again.

“That’s good,” he said. “That’s very good indeed.”

Then the creature looked at the flower in his hand and his smile faded.

“Uhh Frisk?” he asked.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve uh,” the creature began. “I unfortunately only have one bedroom to spare.”

He raised the potted sunflower.

“I hope you don’t mind sharing it with my son for tonight.”

Frisk shrugged.

“Sure, sure,” she said. “I don’t mind, really.”

“Ahhh, good to know.”

He placed the potted flower on top of one of the cupboards.

“Don’t worry, he’s not a loud sleeper,” he began and patted the flower. “Who knows? Maybe you sharing a room together will get you to know each other better. Now, let’s see if everything’s in order.”

The creature then began carefully perusing through the cupboards and toy box while mumbling softly to himself.

“Everything's in order here. Also here- wait, where is the green crayon? Oh, there it is. Now let’s check the…”

Meanwhile, Frisk’s interest was focused on a curious looking pink backpack laying on the edge of the bed. It looked average sized, like a high school backpack, and had no decorations or identifying markers. Frisk lifted it up. It was light and empty. It also looked somewhat clean and recent, like it was put here just a few days ago.

“Hey what’s the deal with this backpack?” Frisk asked.

“Pardon me?” the monster asked without looking from his perusings.

“This pink backpack right here,” Frisk said. “It looks pretty recent. Like, where did you get it and why’s it here?”

“Ahhh, you mean this little thing?” the creature said. “Hmmm, would you believe me if I told you I’ve completely forgotten?”

_ Of course _ , Frisk thought.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Well it’s because I have,” the creature said.

Frisk sighed.

_ Just another mystery to add to the pile I guess _ , she thought.

“Oh and speaking of forgetting,” the creature suddenly exclaimed. “I almost forgot about something important.”

He went to one of the cupboards and pulled out of it two small, golden boxes with white coloured ribbons.

“What is that?” Frisk asked.

“Presents,” the creature proudly declared. “What else?”

“Seriously?” Frisk asked. “For me?”

“Yes. And also for my son of course. I didn't want him to be left out you see. Now I forgot to mark them, so I think I may have gotten confused on which gift belongs to whom, but I hope you like whatever’s in there either way.”

_ Whatever’s in there? _ Frisk thought.  _ He doesn’t know it himself? _

The creature handed her one of the golden boxes, the one who looked the most used and crumpled. Frisk took it and shook it a little. It was very light, and inside there was something small with a clinking metallic sounding. Then she sat down on the floor and began to unfold it. The ribbon was very loose and Frisk found it curious how it felt like it was tied in a hurry.

When she was done, she laid the box on the floor, opened it, and then checked inside. On the bottom, there was a small, golden necklace shaped like a heart. Frisk picked it up and felt the rust and dozens of scratches on it hinting at its long age of use.

“Thanks for that,” Frisk said to the monster.

He smiled a proud smile.

“Alright, I’ll be going now,” he said. “I think I am going to go to bed early today as a matter of fact, but until then I’ll be in the living room and check out on you once in a while. In fact, I think I am going to lock your door so nothing but I can-”

“Hang on!” Frisk yelled in protest. “Don’t do that!”

The creature looked at her.

“Why not?” he asked in honest confusion.

“Because uh…”

_ Shit _ , Frisk thought.  _ This guy’s want’s to lock me in here. He must be planning to do something with me. _

“Because…” Frisk continued. “...I just don’t like to sleep with the door locked. It, uh, makes me feel, um, locked out I guess?”

“You prefer it if I kept it unlocked is that what you are saying?”

“Yes, yes, exactly.”

The creature became thoughtful.

_ Oh, I definitely messed this up _ , Frisk thought.

But then the creature chuckled, smiled and said:

“Ah, it’s alright. I’ll leave the door unlocked just for you, ok?”

_ Oh, thank god. _

“I’m mean…” the creature began. “Are you sure you’re ok with tha-”

“Yes! I’m absolutely sure!”

“Alrighty then. Is there anything else I can do for you? Would you like me to read something for you or…?”

“Nah, I’m fine.”

“Good. Then I’ll be going now.”

The monster headed for the door.

“If anything’s the matter,” he continued. “You can find me in either the living room or in my bed. I’m sure you know where that is. But in the meantime, good night and good rest.”

He left through the door and closed it. After a few seconds, Frisk check to see if the creature had held his promise. Luckily, the door proved to be unlocked. She smiled.

Frisk went to examine the flower on top of the cupboard.

_ Yeah, I’m not gonna get used to that thing _ , she thought.

Frisk went to the lonesome bed in the room and let herself fall on it. It was immensely soft, perhaps the softest thing in this entire place.

_ Oh my god, I think I can sleep forever like this _ , she thought.

As she laid there, Frisk began wondering what was in the other package. She didn't want to go open it herself to check though, as she was sure it would summon either the creature’s anger, disappointment or both.

Then Frisk realized that she felt immensely tired. A part of her considered that maybe the creature drugged her, but then she remembered all that happened the last few hours, all the walking, climbing and near death situations, and she realized what was even stranger was that she hadn’t gotten tired sooner. Either that or the immense softness of the bed was getting to her.

Frisk was now wondering about what she would do when she was out of here. Would anyone believe her? She doubted it. Maybe she could prove it by showing everyone the ruins. But she also promised the monster not to do that. But what if she decided to break that promise? What would be the ramifications of that? How would society change? To the fact that magic and monsters were truly real. How would people change?

_ I don’t think anything’s going to be the same anymore _ , Frisk thought, not sure if she was pointing at life in general or just herself.

Then, before she noticed, Frisk had closed down her eyes and fallen into a deep sleep.

 

Frisk felt herself floating. Or rather, she felt a part of her floating, as she soon realized that she didn’t have a body or any form to float with. She was just mere, incorporeal consciousness wandering through nothingness. Not through blackness or nothing in any metaphorical sense. Just, floating through literal nothing.

Then the voices, the whispers, and the chatter came. Frisk felt their minuscule vibrations rumble through her mind, and she believed if she somehow managed to reach out, she could touch the words and letters themselves. She thought at first that they were speaking to her, but then she noticed that the voices were rather speaking AT her. Frisk didn’t completely understand it, but the best analogy she could think of was like she was a large, impenetrable wall that stood in front of dozens of people that spoke in her direction, but they were speaking to whoever or whatever lay behind her.

Some of the voices Frisk seemed to recognize, Others she didn’t… and some she had yet to know, in some unforeseeable future. Frisk didn’t understand how she knew that last part.

Most of them seemed inaudible, and Frisk somehow could only comprehend a few of them.

 

_ Why did you come here? _

_ Come now little Dora. _

_ Take care of mom and dad for me, okay? _

_ Fucking imbecile. _

_ It is the  _ **_only_ ** _ way. _

 

Then came fire, the heat and the horrors. Frisk couldn’t see the horrors, but rather she felt them, crawling around and surrounding every inch of her “soul”, or whatever that could best describe her current state.

Then the voices grew faster, louder and more frequent. The audible ones even more so.

 

_ I was right. Your mother should have gotten an abortion. _

_ You’d be dead where you stand. _

_ When children hear my name, they weep. _

_ We should have wiped them all out long ago. _

_ … the demon who comes when you call its name. _

 

The fires and horrors grew now overwhelming, and the calmest of voices turned into yellings.

 

_ Please don’t! _

_ Come back here, little Dora! _

_ I’ll kill you! _

_ I don’t want to see you or your goddamn face ever again! _

_ Down here, it’s kill or be killed! _

 

The voices almost deafen her now.

 

_ Please help! _

_ The mind has a tendency to make memories where none exist. _

_ Human’s only answer to one thing! Fear! Fear and pain _

_ SOMEBODY, PLEASE HELP ME! _

_ FRANCISCA! _

 

And in the centre of everything, she saw existence itself. An utter, incomprehensible anomaly, where everything and nothing existed simultaneously, and it grew and grew and threatened to swallow her whole. Then as she looked into the centre of this ever-changing cosmos she saw... him. The man in black. The man who speaks in hands. The one, who like all souls and living things did not exist once but now had conquered and ascended beyond the very concept of existence. The void yelled out his name like an incomprehensible angelic choir of a primaeval, alien faith, and it echoed through the endless chasms and took on forms and colours which no man, monster or soul had ever seen. Then he… it…   **Gaster** reached out towards the floating consciousness and waited. And Frisk screamed.

 

Frisk woke up panting and covered in sweat.

“Ho-holy fucking shit man,” she muttered.

She sat up and put her hand on her chest, and felt her heart rapidly beat as if she had just ran a marathon. Frisk had had her fair share of night terrors before, but none of them could even be compared to a fraction of what she had just been through right now.

“Oh, oh man,” she said. "I’m never going to fucking sleep again, eh?”

She chuckled at her own bad joke.

Suddenly, the door burst open and the nameless monster stood in the doorway, with a face of intense dread and terror.

“Gah, Jesus Christ dude!” Frisk yelled out in shock.

But before she could react, the monster had rushed towards and embraced her.

“Dear gods what happened?!” he said with a tone of immense urgency. “I heard your yelling! Are you hurt?! Did the bed hurt you?! Oh, gods did somebody one hurt you-”

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” Frisk said. “I’m not hurt at all! And the bed is alright, thanks for asking!”

“Then did you see someone?!” the creature asked. “Was there someone in this room. Someone who threatened you?!”

“There was no one!” Frisk said. “I swear. It was just… a bad dream is all.”

The creature looked at her with a surprised expression.

“Just a dream?” he asked. “Nothing else?”

The creature looked to the side seemingly thinking, and Frisk caught a hint of relief on his lion-like face.

“Yeah,” Frisk reassured. “Just a dream.”

But then the creatures face turned to Frisk with a sudden look of angry seriousness.

“You shouldn’t have scared me like,” he said sternly and stood up. “Don’t do that again.”

_ Wait what? _ Frisk thought.

“Shouldn’t have scared you-what the hell, do you think I asked to have a nightmare-”

But before Frisk had finished, the creature had left and shut the door, seemingly too stuck in his own twisted mind to hear a single word from Frisk, and she was once again alone in uncomfortable silence.

“What the hell was that all about?” she said to herself.

Frisk laid back into bed, her mind full of thoughts. She put her hand back on her chest and felt her heartbeat slow down.

She found herself unable to sleep again. She didn’t even feel tired anymore.

Frisk picked up her phone and looked at it. It was almost 4 AM.

_ Does time flow faster in this place or something? _ she thought.

Frisk’s train of thought now began to wander around with no path or purpose, going from things like wondering about the creatures sudden change of tone, to the purpose of those strange, mystical ruins, about monsters and magic… and even that dreadful nightmare. After about half an hour of laying there, she had fortunately completely forgotten everything from it. Except for one thing. That strange name, Gaster. Even here in the waking world, Frisk felt it echo constantly through her mind. Just what was that name, she wondered. She was certain she had never met or even heard of someone with that name. Did her mind just make it up randomly on the spot? She wasn’t sure whether that was even possible for the mind to do, but at the moment it was one of the most likely possibilities she could think of. But then why was it the only thing that stuck once she woke up? Not only that, but that name also filled her with slight dread, as if it belonged to or reminded her of someone she once knew and feared, but just couldn’t pinpoint on exactly who or why.

Frisk just stared at the ceiling again, thinking about that name, about this place and other things. She found it impossible to fall asleep again, despite having only slept for a few hours. Once again, like most things in this place, Frisk couldn’t figure out why. She felt it wasn’t natural. Nothing about this place was natural to her. Frisk felt as if she was still dreaming, and this place was some sort of weird dream world where normal rules no longer apply. And then there was that creature, which seemed lonely and hesitant in letting her go, possibly because it so was desperate for any semblance of company to the point it had anthropomorphised a single flower.

Frisk thought about these things for a while, and then came to a single decision.

_ I’m going to get out of here _ , she thought.

 

Frisk waited until she was sure the large monster was asleep before she proceeded. She slowly opened the door to his room and peeked in. As Frisk suspected, the monster was fast asleep in the large bed, and his purple robe was thrown into a pile by a corner. Judging by the silhouette, one of the monster’s anorexic looking hands was hanging down by the side of the bed, and Frisk was for once happy there wasn’t light for otherwise, she might see some uncomfortable details.

With the empty pink backpack hanging from her shoulders, Frisk crept into the room, fearing with every step that the creaking might wake the tall monster. The creature began to snore a bit once she reached the desk. She slowly stroked her hand over it, feeling the rough texture of the large map of the ruins.

Frisk carefully rolled it up, glancing occasionally at the sleeping monster behind her just to make sure he wasn’t awake. Once she was done, she put the map into her jeans back pocket and gently headed back to the door. The monster suddenly rustled in his bed and for a moment Frisk heart stopped as she thought he was waking up. She turned around and felt immense relief to see him still sleeping. The creature then began to mumble in his sleep.

_ “Wha-what are you… get-get out of here you-you...” _

Frisk had reached the doorway and looked back at the sleeping monster. He had now stopped moving and mumbling and now slept on his back with one hand on top and the other dangling by his side. Besides his breathing, he looked as peaceful as if he was once the happiest creature in the world.

Seeing him so calm and oblivious made Frisk start to feel somewhat apprehensive on not informing the creature about her decisions. This was perhaps the sanest she had ever seen him. But Frisk felt she had made her choice, and if not now, then maybe not for a long time. Her only regret at the moment was that she didn’t have a pencil or paper to write her goodbyes.

“Sorry old man,” she whispered and then slowly closed the door.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. Here it is. The next chapter of this fanfic. It's been a long time coming if you ask me. Perhaps my longest hiatus yet I think, and also the longest chapter so far I think. Once again, I am sorry for the delay. There has just been a bunch of stuff happening in my life, and more often than not I just wasn't up for it. Writing I mean.  
> But I manage to finish it. That all that matters at the moment. Now, onto my short commentary about this chapter.
> 
> So far, this is perhaps my favourite chapter so far, both in terms of writing tone and character. There is also plenty here in terms of mystery and character development. There are some hints about Frisk's life on the surface and by the way, she looks at it with a melancholy tone. I obviously know what it's like, since am writing this story and have planned most of it out, but I like you, the readers that is, to also piece things together.  
> Speaking about piecing things together, let's talk about Gaster for a short moment before we finish things up for today. Now I was originally going to keep it a mystery on who the figure Frisk saw in her dream was, but then I realized that most of the readers would obviously guess right so I just cut the middle man and just said Gaster. Now how Gaster is connected to Frisk and all of this, I won't tell. You just have to wait patiently for an answer. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy the story and see you soon. Please leave a comment if you want to as I always love reading them.


	7. The ruins Part 6

**The Ruins Part 6**

  
  


Once again Frisk found herself wandering alone in the labyrinthian ruins. Only now, she had a clearer path and goal ahead. Now, with a heavy backpack hanging on her back and with a large map in her hands, Frisk felt like a proper explorer. She held the large and brittle map in both her hands, carefully as she felt the lightest tug could tear it, only glancing from it occasionally to see if the road ahead matched the outlines.

After a while she found holding the map too much of a nuisance and rolled it up, believing she had memorized the surrounding rooms and pathways enough, and then she put the map into her jean pocket.

If Frisk could recall correctly, there was supposed to be a large open room nearby, which for some reason, the monster seemed to consider very important, judging by how it was marked with a large circle and near-illegible writing which Frisk could just barely read as saying  _ vantage point _ . And after she went through the same doors and hallways as the map had said lead to this place, Frisk immediately saw why.

This wasn’t a large room as she had misread. It was a large balcony, and from this balcony, Frisk could see large dome-like buildings, gigantic greek like temples, and tall stony towers reaching almost to the top of the cavern, stretching far and wide. Frisk couldn’t believe her eyes and blinked a few time to make sure this wasn’t a mirage.

“Holy shit,” she exclaimed.

She had gotten so used to the claustrophobic hallways and low ceilings she had entirely forgotten that these ruins were once a city. Seeing these rows if ancient buildings from above, and in such large height, made the ruins feel for the first time like they were once a large and massive city.

Frisk looked straight down from the balcony and saw that there was a small climbable path on the tall, stone wall.  She looked behind her, feeling suddenly as if someone was watching her, but she saw nothing but the dark shadows of the corridor. Frisk figured that maybe the sudden vastness of the place was just getting to her.

With that said and done, Frisk climbed down from the balcony and began her descent down into the ancient city.

 

“Goddammit old man! Why did your stupid map have to be as inconsistent as your… well, everything. Guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, huh?”

Frisk now sat on the edge of a large bridge connecting two building, trying her hardest to read what the map had to say about the surrounding area. She had been wandering in the old city aimlessly for a while now, and the map had now become incredibly untrustworthy. First it started with minor issues like the angle of a street being wrong or a building being shown as slightly bigger or smaller, but the further she was away from the old hermits home, more major issues began to pop up such as the map showing building that didn’t exist, not showing buildings that DID exist, and visualizing hallways that in actuality lead to dead ends. With her only guide having become unreliable, Frisk was beginning to feel lost once again. She sighed and looked across at the rows and rows of ancient buildings that faded into the darkness. Frisk had hoped, if somewhat naively, that comparing the map to the city from above would somehow make it more coherent, but doing so just revealed even more inconsistencies and errors. Unless the city was magically changing shape every now and then, it was clear that it had become horrendously unreliable and broken this far away from the monsters home.

“Welp,” she began. “Let’s get back to it. No point wasting time fiddling my thumbs I guess.”

Frisk rolled up the map and headed back down the stairs she came up. Her footsteps echoed through the staircase with every step.

“I’ll just make things up as I go along,” she said to herself. “Has worked well for me so far. I think at least.”

Having reached street level, she adjusted her pink backpack and continued on her aimless path. As she walked, she thought on how for a long time the only sounds she heard in this dead city of colossal structures was the sound of her own voice and the echoes of her footsteps. Frisk looked up at the towers occasionally to marvel at their wonderful and eerie sight.

Unlike the dull and meaningless hallways from earlier, Frisk felt like this place actually was a city. She could imagine the busy, cobblestone streets with vendors and dozens of strange mythical creatures like trolls, goblins or even something similar to the old hermit. She could imagine the loud noises as strange looking children played in the street and older ones wandering from place to place, and as Frisk looked at some of the faraway windows she could imagine some monsters looking out to appreciate the view or to greet a beautiful morning. She could even imagine the countless families that lived inside these busy blocks, of creatures waking up one tired morning in an ancient looking bed and then going off to work or do daily chores. Frisk could even imagine the skies, for lack of a better word, being filled with wondrous flying dragons, hippogryphs and whatnot, carrying heavy boxes and carriages, or just enjoying the ride.

But whatever this place was like in the olden days, it was obvious that time was now long gone and all the monsters with it as they either died or left to some unknown place. And despite her attempts to imagine a more wondrous place, Frisk could never manage to shake off her feelings of utter fright. At every step, Frisk felt as if the countless empty windows harboured countless eyes staring at her, and that in the shadows lay untold horrors just waiting for her to slip.

Due to all this rising dread, Frisk was now believing to think she should have never left the strange creature’s home.

“Good job Frisk,” she said to herself. “Look at what you’ve gotten yourself into. You’ve abandoned the only guy who knows anything about this place, and now you’re all alone and lost in the middle of El-goddam-Dorado with no map, no guide, and no one to protect you.”

She sighed.

“Merde. This really was a terrible idea. Why the hell did I-”

Suddenly, Frisk heard something rustling just behind her. Frisk nearly froze in fear.

_ Oh god, there is something behind me _ .

Then, having built up her courage, she slowly turned around and shined the light from her phone in the direction of the noise.

“Who-who’s there?” she asked.

There was no answer. Frisk waited for a few moments and then gave out a short panicked chuckle.

“There’s nothing,” she said. “Of course there’s fucking nothing. I must be losing my freaking mind over her-”

Frisk stopped dead in her tracks as another strange sound appeared. This one, however, was a lot more frightening than the last. The previous one could have been simply a gust of wind or a scurrying rat, while this new noise, on the other hand, sounded unmistakably like it came from a living, breathing creature or person. It was the sound of someone crying. Someone that was just around the next corner. Frisk was now practically frozen solid.

_ Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god- _

The crying still kept going and grew louder. Frisk wanted to run, but she feared the echoes of her loud steps would alert whatever this was so instead she just stood there, shaking. But her morbid curiosity began to grow, and despite how ridiculous she knew it was, she wanted to take a small peak to see what it was.

_ Have I learned nothing from that fat, man-eating frog thing? _ she thought to herself as she crept towards the corner.  _ The hell’s wrong with me? _

Once she had reached it, Frisk, readying herself to sprint, looked around the corner to see just who or what was making this noise. There, she saw something completely different from any monster she had witnessed, perhaps the oddest looking figure so far. This was clearly not a froggit creature, as it had no visible feet or limbs, and it was also much bigger than normal, but then again, so was that fat froggit from yesterday.

The crying thing in question looked like a strange, white and almost completely transparent wide figure in an oval shape. Frisk wasn’t sure if it was laying on it’s back or not, but if it was, then judging from this distance, once it was upright the creature would’ve been most likely about Frisk’s size.

_ Is that a ghost? _ Frisk thought.  _ Like what the monster guy mentioned yesterday? _

Small white looking droplets seemed to roll down the visible side of it like teardrops on a cheek. The droplets completely vaporized once they touched the ground. But suddenly, the incessant crying and teardrops slowed down to a near halt. Frisk learned why in an utterly frightening way.

“Who-who are you?” the translucent figure asked.

Frisk felt her heart pounding and the sweat leaking down her head.

_ Oh god is this thing talking to me? _ she thought. _ I don’t see anyone else here, but… shit, how did it see me? _

And then Frisk noticed how. The talking shape now had a strange looking face on the place where it’s side used to be. The face looked extremely minimalist, with only two black circles, and a small line that Frisk assumed was a mouth. She didn’t see the face at first because it was so dark, but once she did it was impossible to ignore. With the full look of the figure now being fully registered, Frisk noticed it looked uncannily identical to those “sheet ghosts” you see in Halloween stores and classic cartoons.

“Who-who are you?” it asked again.

_ Run, _ said the thought in Frisk’s head. _ For god's sake girl, just run. Just ignore it, and get the hell out of here. Don’t you dare feel sorry for whatever this thing is. _

But, despite all her most logical senses telling her not to, Frisk began to slowly walk towards this strange, crying figure.

“Hey, hey, what’s the matter?” she asked in the gentles tone she could muster.

_ What the fuck am I doing? _ Frisk’s thoughts began again.  _ Why the hell am I not running away like a sensible person? God. I really AM an idiot. _

She shone her phone flashlight at the translucent creature and it seemed to shake in fear a bit. The light also seemed to completely pierce through it.

“Hey I’m not gonna hurt you,” Frisk said. “I promise ok?”

The figure now slowly “stood up”. It wasn’t really standing up since it didn’t have feet, but rather, it just hovered above the ground like a holographic disk.

“You… promise?” the figure asked nervously. “I mean… it’s not like you can actually hurt me since I have no body or mass… but umm, it would be nice of you if you didn’t though either way…”

“I promise,” Frisk reassured.

_ This is a weird figure _ , she thought.  _ Seems harmless though. _

Frisk stopped about an arm's length from it.

“My name’s, um, Frisk,” she said.

“That, uh, sound’s nice,” the floating, translucent figure said. “Kind of wish I had a name like that…”

Frisk felt curious and reached her hand out to touch the strange being. As she suspected, her hand went right through it.

“Can you, umm stop that,” the figure asked anxiously. “It kind of um, feels weird.”

“Oh sorry,” Frisk said and pulled her hand away. “Are you like a... ghost or something?”

“Of a sort yeah,” the figure answered shyly.

“Wait, what do you mean by of sorts?”

“It, uh, I can't really explain it sorry. I’ll, uh, try though since you’ve been so nice. It basically means I’m a ghost, but um, not really?”

“Ok let’s forget about that then if it’s so hard for you,” Frisk began. “So, umm, do you have like a name or something?”

“I have,” the ghost said. “My name… it’s not very good but um… it’s Napstablook.”

“I’m sorry,” Frisk said and chuckled. “Napst-what now?”

The ghost seemed hurt by this.

“Are you…” it began. “Making fun of me?”

“What? Oh, no no no no no! Nothing like that. Your name’s just… strange’s all- NOT like there anything wrong with that, it’s just how it is I guess.”

The ghost looked somewhat confused, with its mouth a bit open.

“Umm,” it began. “Thanks uh, you’re very uh, kind I guess.”

Frisk smiled.

“Uhh, thanks,” she said. “I’ve uh, learned from the best.

They both stared at each other for a few moments, and Frisk was now thinking just how spectacular this moment was. She was speaking to a ghost. An actual ghost. Not only did she see evidence of magic and monsters, but of creatures beyond death as well.

But as she stared at it, she noticed that the silence between them was becoming awkward.

Soooooo, um,” Frisk began after a while. “If you don’t mind me asking but uhh, why were you crying back there?”

The ghost looked at her utter dumbfounded.

“You mean…” it began. “You haven’t seen it.”

“Seen what-”

There came suddenly a loud clanking noise not too far away.

“God,” Frisk said and turned towards it. “That strange sound again.”

Then she turned back to the ghost and saw it utter frightened state.

“I-I’m sorry?” Frisk asked.

“It’s back!” the ghost said in utter panic. “Oh, gods! it’s come back!”

“Wh-who?!” Frisk asked and felt the immense dread crawling up her spine. “Who’s back?”

“I-I don’t know!” the ghost said, practically wailing. “I don’t know what it is! But it’s… it’s bad! Oh, gods, it’s so bad! Awful! Completely and utterly awful! We must get out of here! NOW!”

“What?” exclaimed Frisk. “Hey, WAIT!”

Before Frisk noticed it, the ghost had vanished. It happened so fast that Frisk wasn’t sure if it flew away in immense speed, or if it simply just faded away.

The clanking noise came again, this time much louder as if whatever was causing it was coming closer. Frisk looked at its direction and saw nothing but darkness covering the street. Then it finally dawned on her that she was alone again. The sound came again, much louder, and this time Frisk saw subtle hints of a strange silhouette by a building only a few steps away.

“Oh fuck,” she muttered and began to sprint away.

Almost every single creature she met so far besides the old hermit seemed absolutely terrified by whatever was causing this noise, so Frisk didn’t care one bit about what it looked like this.

She panted as she ran in an aimless direction, still holding her phone. The sound kept coming, and it was always a few meters behind.

_ Don’t look back, don’t look back, don’t look back… _

But Frisk’s frightful curiosity took over one moment, and she glanced back for a second or two. That one glance was more than enough for her, and she turned her head back forward more frightened than ever. It was dark, and it was only a moment so she didn’t see much, but what she did see was a strange, formless figure that seemed to constantly be changing shape and size.

Frisk had never run this much in her entire life, and her body seemed to not be strong enough for it, but she kept running despite that. The streets seemed to curve and bend constantly, so she was constantly changing her position which just made everything more straining for her.

But as she was beginning to think this chase would never end, Frisk noticed that noise from the monstrosity behind her was growing quiet and distant. A ray of hope entered Frisk. She was losing gaining ahead.

_ Yes, yes, yes _ , she thought.  _ Just a little more. Just a few more meters and- _

Suddenly, there was a massive hole in the ground, and Frisk almost stepped into it.

“GAH FUCK!” she yelled as she trying to readjust her balance.

Frisk had been so busy running she didn’t pay attention to her surroundings, and now she was flailing around while standing at the edge of the pit on one foot.

“Woah, woah, woah. No! Goddammit!”

She accidentally let go of her phone, and it seemed to fall endlessly down the pit until it came to a sudden halt, as it broke and small pieces of light began spreading in every direction of the hole before vanishing.

After a quick effort, Frisk managed to regain her balance.

“Oh fuck!” Frisk muttered. “That was... *pant*... fucking close!”

But her celebrations were short, as the sound of the strange creature came closer.

“Oh no,” she muttered.

Frisk began to frantically look around. There were two large buildings with no clear entrance covering both sides of the hole and the street she was in, and running back the way she came was clearly out of the equation.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Frisk said frantically.

She looked at the hole, trying to see if there was a way around it. The hole was extremely wide, so much so that Frisk couldn’t see the other side of the street. It also was clearly not intentionally or carefully put there, as the edges were painfully uneven. It was like a piece of the ground was ripped off.

The sound of the monster came again which shook Frisk and made her turn back and face towards the street in fear. The monster was incredibly close, just beyond the darkness. She was sweating and shaking profusely.

“Oh god, oh god,” she muttered. “I’ll uh… maybe I’ll, no, no…”

Frisk heard something crack beneath her.

“What? OH SHI-”

The floor beneath her broke and she fell. Thankfully, she managed to grab the ledge with one hand. She was now hanging from it with her feet dangling in the empty air. Frisk looked down into the pit and saw nothing but an empty void staring void.

“Oh fuck, Jesus Christ.”

She tried to pull herself up with the singular hand, but she found it impossible. Then she felt something, a sensation that made her not want to get back up anymore in a million year. She felt breathing on the back of her hand. It was the heavy breathing of something big and heavy, and it was right on top of her. The formless monster was there.

Frisk dared not to look up, and she tried not to make a noise. Then she felt her arm tire and her stamina failing, and she realized her time was running out. She felt like her hand would dislocate from her shoulder.

Then she felt something touch her palm. Something, slimy and cold.

And Frisk let go.

She screamed as she fell into the seemingly unending abyss. Flashes of her life invaded her thoughts, as she fell faster and faster until the rush of air seemed to tear apart her flesh.

Then she saw the hard, rocky bottom only a few feet away from her, and the last thing Frisk thought to herself before her body splattered on the cold stones, was that she should have never left the old monster’s home.

 

Frisk felt herself floating again.

_ What’s going on _ , she thought.  _ Am I dead? _

In front of her, to her side and back, there was a strange star looking object, that seemed to constantly expand and shrink. There was nothing else in this void. Nothing but herself and the strange star. She felt as if it had always been there, but she also felt like it had just arrived.

Those two contradictory thoughts didn’t matter to her, and she didn’t question how she managed to hold them both in the slightest.

Frisk called out, but there came no noise.

Should I… touch it?

Frisk went closer to the star, and that was where she finally saw her entire form, the one she was occupying in this strange place if wherever she was could be called a place that is. Her form looked like a red heart.

_ I don’t want to be dead _ , Frisk thought.  _ I refuse _ .

Then she, and the heart, touched the yellow star, and the entire void filled up with all her memories, hopes and dreams, and she felt herself pulled into some time or place unknown.

_ I refuse _ , she thought.

And then, Frisk woke up.

 

“What the- what?”

Frisk found herself back at the monsters house, sitting back on the bed she slept in earlier.

“How the… how the hell am I back here?”

She looked around the bedroom frantically, trying to see if this was some sort of strange illusion of sorts. She blinked frantically, but nothing changed.

Frisk felt utter disbelief. She could have sworn that only a moment ago, she was falling down a deep pit and then her body splattered on solid hard ground. She looked down at her body, pulled up her shirt, but saw no bruises or any sign of a long fall.

_ I didn’t dream all that did I? _ She thought.  _ Did the large monster find me? Did he put me back here and then heal my wounds? Must be. I couldn’t have dreamt all that. It was too real. _

Suddenly, as she was further examining her body, the door to the bedroom suddenly burst open, and the large goat monster was standing in the doorway with intense dread and terror on his face. Frisk couldn’t feel any more glad to see him.

“Uh, hi,” she said to him. “I’m uh-”

But before she could finish her sentence, the monster had rushed towards her and embraced her.

“He-hey knock it off,” Frisk said while almost on the verge of laughing. “I was only gone for like-”

“Dear gods what happened?!” the creature said with a tone of immense urgency. “I heard your yelling! Are you hurt?! Did the-”

“What no I’m fine,” Frisk reassured. “Shouldn’t you know tha-”

“Then did you see someone?!” the creature asked. “Was there someone in this room. Someone who threatened yo-”

“Wait, what are you talking about?”

Frisk was getting utterly confused.

“You- you don’t know?” the creature asked. “Strange, I could have sworn I heard your screaming. Did you dream something?”

“I don’t remember what I dreamt,” Frisk said. “But I don’t know what that got to do with-”

“Then why did you scream?”

“Why did I scream?! What kind of question was that?! Why did you think I was-wait hang on.”

Frisk realized something. A surreal feeling that had an uncanny dash of deja-vu.

“This all has happened before,” she said.

The monster’s expression was replaced by soft confusion.

“Pardon?”

“This moment,” Frisk began. “The one happening right now. Me sitting in bed and you bursting in here with immense worry. This almost exact scenario happened last time I woke up here. Down to some of the words even I think.”

The creature looked incredibly bewildered now.

“Last time you woke up here?” the creature asked sincerely. “But you just got her yesterday. This is the first time you have woken up here.”

Frisk looked at him, feeling almost as confused as he.

“Wait, how did you find me?” she asked. “After I fell, how did you find me.”

The creature chuckled.

“How else?” he asked. “I found you perusing in the sunflower garden.”

“What?” began Frisk. “Oh, that’s not what I meant. I meant when I fell in the ruins. After I snuck out. How did you recover me because I recall falling like thousands of feet and-”

She stopped as she realized her words weren’t going anywhere.

“You don’t remember do you?” Frisk said. “Finding me in the ruins?”

The creature glanced at her with a look of suspicion.

“You’ve only been here in my home for 8 hours at most,” the creature said. “Most of that time spent sleeping. I’m sure I would have remembered you sneaking out and then going to the ruins.”

The creature face suddenly turned back to a look of worry, as if an uncomfortable suggestion just entered his mind.

“Unless…” he said before falling into deep thoughts.

Frisk sighed.

“Yeah, you’re probably just having another one of your memory losses,” she said, “Y’know I swear that-”

Suddenly, the creatures face gave out a loud screeching noise as it twisted and turned in immense speed and countless directions. It all only happened in a few seconds, but it was still one of the most nightmarish things Frisk had seen.

When it stopped, the creature looked with a terrified and sorry expression at Frisk who was now huddled up to the wall in immense shock.

“What the fuck was that!” she exclaimed.

The creature was shaking and still had the expression as if he accidentally revealed something he shouldn’t have, and was now regretting it immensely.

“I’m… uhh… I…”

The creature quickly stood up and ran out of the room, shutting the door behind. Frisk now sat quietly in her bed, trying her hardest to process what just happened.

“What-what the hell,” she muttered. “What was… this place… everything’s messed up here.”

Frisk glanced at the nightstand and saw something surprising. Her phone lay there, fully intact.

“What? How did it…”

She picked it up and felt no scratches or anything that hinted that it had broken. Could the monster also fix inanimate object as it could with flesh, Frisk wondered.

She put the phone back on the nightstand and lay down into the bed. She listened to her surroundings and heard nothing but eerie quiet, like usual. She thought for a bit, and then Frisk uttered something she thought she would never say in a long time:

“Man, I wish I was home.”

She sighed.

“Ahhh,” said an unfamiliar male voice in the room. “Who doesn’t?”

Frisk hurriedly sat back up.

“Who’s there?” she said.

Frisk picked up her phone from the nightstand and shone its flashlight across the room. But even as she frantically shone her light at every corner, Frisk couldn’t find anything unusual.

Then, she heard something else. Something in this room that sounded like the movements of either leaf… or large pedals.

_ The flower! _ Frisk thought.

She shone her phone at the potted plant but saw nothing out of the ordinary. At first.

Then she noticed it’s strange movement. The petals seemed to close and open randomly and independently from one another. Then they suddenly stopped, and Frisk found herself hear soft laughter coming from its direction. Then it began to turn around, slowly as if it was alive and wanted to savour this moment.

“What the-”

Then the laughter stopped and the flower turned and faced her, and immediately, Frisk saw that there was something different about it.

The sunflower then opened up like it was conjured to life and on its pistil, there was something that uncannily resembled a face. Then, the “face” smiled.

“Howdy,” the flower said. “I’m Flowey. Flowey the flower.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Exciting cliffhanger isn't it? Frisk suddenly woke up back in the monsters home and now Flowey's a thing. Whatever could be happening. Unfortunately, while I have it planned, you guys won't know for a bit of a while.  
> You see, I'm kind of taking a break on fanfictions. It's not gonna be long. You guys aren't gonna have to wait for months on end.  
> It's just I've been kind of meaning to work on this one short story for a while. It's NOT a story that's related to Undertale or Deltarune, NOR is it a fanfiction of any kind.  
> This will be a complete, original short fiction with its own characters and own universe, and I want to move my focus on it for the time being.  
> I am not saying I don't like writing this fanfiction, FAR from it. It's just I kind of want to start working on something original and this is a story I kind of been having floating around in my mind a while but I've never bothered to write until now, and I kind of don't want to be an author that writes nothing but fanfictions, and I want to balance it out with *sigh* "real" writing for a lack of a better word.
> 
> But anyway, when I've finished with the short story, I'll come back to this fanfic I promise. Then I'm perhaps gonna jump around between writing fanfics, and "proper" short stories. Maybe I'll post the short story on some website and link to it from here.  
> I'll hope you guys wait patiently and I'll see you around.


	8. The ruins part 7

**The Ruins Part 7**

  
  


“What the- what the fuck?” Frisk exclaimed.

“I’m Flowey,” the flower said. “Didn’t ya hear me?”

Frisk didn’t know what to say at this point. Just when she didn’t think things could get weirder and creepier, the previously plain flower now had a face and was talking.

“We-were you alive this whole time?” Frisk asked.

“Really?” the flower asked with a condescending grin. “That’s the first thing you say to someone you just met? Not “hi I’m Frisk” or “I’m Francisca Monto-whatever-o, nice to meetcha”? How rude.”

“I- I didn’t really expect you to be alive-”

“Come now,” Flowey said in a snarky tone. “You really think a talking flower is the weirdest thing you’ve seen today?”

“No that’s what I meant!” Frisk exclaimed. “Can you please just… god, why is everything changing so much?! First I’m in the ruins and the next moment I’m not! I don’t even know what’s real anymore and-”

Frisk suddenly became very silent, and just stared at the rug with wide open eyes.

“Uhh, Frisk?” asked the flower, who had been patiently waiting for his turn to speak.

Confused, he looked down at the rug. There were a few easy to miss stains here and there but nothing really out of the ordinary. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Flowey asked.

Then, out of nowhere, Frisk began to cackle.

“Of course, of course!” she said to herself and smiled. “This all makes sense now! These strange creatures, the abandoned ruins, and the idea that such a place somehow haven’t been found until now! And now this!”

She laughed softly.

“None of this is real,” she said with a mad smile. “I must’ve bumped my head when I fell down that hole! And now I’m either dying or laying in a hospital with wires stuck in me! While this… heh… this is all just some fucked up coma dream!”

Frisk began to laugh harder and harder, to the point where her laughs were beginning to sound maddening.

Flowey observed her descent from afar and sighed in embarrassment. 

Suddenly, Frisk was immediately shocked back from her momentary lapse by a sharp but quick pain on her cheek.

“Ow!”

“Was that real enough for you?” Flowey asked impatiently. 

Frisk saw that one of the flowers vine, or “arm”, had somehow expanded in length to across the room. She stroked her cheek, feeling the fading red mark of the slap.

“God, you didn’t have to do that!” Frisk protested.

“Well, you’re convinced now right?”

Frisk wasn’t sure about that exactly, but the short pain was so real that she found it hard to deny. 

“I guess so,” she said and shrugged. 

“Good,” Flowey replied.

He then slowly retracted the vine back to its small size and groaned as he did.

“Gah, darn it.”

“Are you alright?” Frisk asked.

“Not really no,” Flowey said and winced. “Haven’t used my arms- sorry, vines, in what must be over half a decade now.”

Frisk looked at him in slight perplexity.

_ Strange to see a flower in pain _ , she thought.

“So,” she began. “You’re that crazy monster guy’s son right?”

“What?” replied Flowey “Oh gods no. That poor old man lost his wife and children ages ago and has been unable to move on. He must’ve mistaken me for one of his children simply because I share some of his… hmmm… let’s say qualities. But I am not his child no, not in the slightest. I don’t even have parents so to speak. I think?”

Frisk went silent for a while, thinking. It was clear that this flower knew a lot about the old hermit.

“Ok, so is there anything else you can tell me about this guy?” she asked. “Like is he dangerous, or something?”

“Dangerous?” Flowey replied as if he couldn’t imagine it. “Oh, he’s far from it. That old man may be crazy and a bit unstable, yes, but he’s perhaps the furthest thing from dangerous that a monster can be. At least, when it comes to kids like yourself.”

Frisk scoffed.

“I’m not a kid,” she protested.

“Well if it talks like one,” the flower said. “What are you? Like 12?”

“I’m 16,” Frisk said truthfully.

“Wait really?”

Flowey stared at her befuddled, failing to find a single hint of irony.

“Huh,” he began. “You humans seem to be growing younger by the minute.”

“What you’ve never seen a 16-year-old girl before?” Frisk asked.

“Well not a human one,” Flowey replied. “Now that I think about it.”

“Ok, it doesn’t really matter,” Frisk said, trying to divert the topic onto the things that were currently on her mind. “What I want to know is what the hell is going on? Like what is this place, how did the monster find me and bring me back here in time, and why you-”

“Oh slow down, slow down, one thing at a time, ok?” the flower said. “It's true I know a lot of things, thanks for assuming, but I’m not a supercomputer or anything. I can only take so many questions at once y’ know.”

Frisk went quiet for a short moment, now realizing just how anxious she was feeling. She also noticed she was shaking a bit.

“Alright then, sorry,” she said.

“Good,” Flowey began. “Now, I know this new situation you’re in may look and sound and feel completely weird, confusing, and unnatural… which it is, but can you at least give me a moment to explain the basics of this new and incredibly paradoxical reality before you go back to doing… whatever the hell you were doing back there?”

“Freaking out?” Frisk asked.

“Yeah,” Flowey said. “And then, with your newfound knowledge, you can navigate this world with much more ease thanks to me.”

“Wait a minute,” Frisk began. “Why are you helping me?” 

Flowey stopped talking for a moment, and the smug expression on his face vanished. After a short moment, he said:

“Because… you saved me, and I’m in your debt.”

This answer just made Frisk more confused than before.

_ Saved him? _ she thought.  _ From what? We’ve just met. _

“What-what are you talking about?” she asked him and chuckled.

Flowey took a deep breath.

“ _ Of course she doesn’t know _ ,” Frisk heard him mumble under his breath.

“Ok, let’s put it this way” he began shortly after. “How about… you woke me up.”

“From what?” asked Frisk

Flowey groaned.

“From that immobile state I was in, what else?” Flowey said sounding a bit irritated.  “Gods, how dimwitted are you?”

“Sorry,” Frisk said. “It’s just that this is all so weird to me.”

“Alright, alright I guess that’s somewhat understandable,” Flowey said, sounding calmer. “Anyway, before you came along, I was practically stuck like that, immobile, for what must’ve been like 5 or 6 years. It was practically hell, having to be stuck with the same crazy old man for years who all this time thinks he's your dad and you have to be groomed and smothered by him on and on, every day of every year while there is nothing you can-”

Flowey stopped himself from speaking further. His face had turned red and angry before he managed to calm himself down.

“Apologies,” he said. “Lost my temper for a moment there. Anyways, where were we?”

“Wow, you really hate that guy don't you,” Frisk said.

“Somewhat,” Flowey confirmed. “I mean, how would you feel if you had to be stuck with and harassed by a crazed hermit every day for years?”

“Uhh, it would suck?”

“That’s putting it mildly. Now, we were just talking about how you saved me, right?”

“Right, how did I do that exactly?” Frisk asked. “And why are you sure it was me who did it considering I haven’t even touched you since I came here.”

With that, the flower opened his mouth to speak only to stop immediately afterwards as if he completely forgot what he was going to say.

“Well truth be told,” he said after a while. “I’m not really sure how. Now that I’m actually thinking about it, I realized I can’t actually understand the logistic behind it. But I do know it was you who saved me since you resetting in my vicinity is somehow what brought me back from limbo.”

“Resetting?” asked Frisk.

_ Just as things couldn’t get even more confusing, _ she thought.

“Correct,” Flowey confirmed. “You see before I fell suddenly into that helpless state, and even longer before you came along, I had the same power as you do now, that is resetting. Unfortunately, I seem to have lost that ability, even though I’m still able to keep the memories after someone else resets.”

“I, uh, feel like we are in different levels of mindsets over here,” Frisk said.

Flowey looked at her in confusion until his expression change as if he realized something.

“Oh, you don’t really know, do you?” he asked. “Of course you don’t. No idea why I assumed everyone who gained this power knows of it instantly, considering it took me some experimenting until I fully understood it.”

“Uh, what are you talking about?”

“Can you just wait for a moment?” Flowey asked. “I’m trying to find a way to explain this properly. Gods, you’re so impatient. So anyway, how do I put this? Mmm resets, are like uh… time travel in a way. You see in this world, that being the underground we are in, humans that fall down here often gain a hidden power of sorts, which allows them to manipulate reality in a certain way because of high levels of determination in them-”

“Woah, whoah, what are you talking about?” Frisk interrupted. “Time travel, manipulating reality, high levels of determination what?”

Flowey slapped his face with one of his vines, eerily similar to a person facepalming.

“Ugh, ok let’s try putting this another way?” he began “So, have you ever played a video game?”

“A couple, yeah, why?” Frisk asked.

“Good,” Flowey said. “So you know how in most video games whenever you “die”, you “reset” which basically just means you go back in time to your last checkpoint or save?”

Frisk nodded in confirmation.

“Well, it kind of works like that,” Flowey continued. “Think of determination as being like an unlimited memory card, and whenever your determination reaches a certain level, you “save” your progress in a way, and so later on when you die, or reset, you go basically go back in time to your last “save point,” and sometimes, more than just your memory of the now-erased event go back in time with you. Of course, there is a way to reset without dying, but that one is-”

“Wait, hang on! Are you saying I just died back there?!”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m getting at,” Flowey said in a casual manner. “Unless you found a way to reset on your own that is.”

Frisk stared at him, mouth agape, feeling utter disbelief. The amount of dread she felt from this revelation was almost beyond description. But the most horrifying part was that it was perhaps the best explanation she could think of as to why she was one moment falling down a deep pit with a hard bottom, and before she knew it she was suddenly back in the monsters home. Not only that, there was not a hint of irony in the tone or face of the flower. 

At that moment, Frisk wasn’t sure if she was supposed to laugh or cry.

“I-I died…” she said to herself, trying her hardest to grasp it. “I have honest to god fucking died. I… ho-holy shit.”

“Look, it’s not that big of a deal,” Flowey said.

“Yes, it’s a big, fucking deal!” Frisk protested. “I-I… how does it work… is there an afterlife? Is there a soul? Is there-”

“Yes you have a soul,” Flowey said bluntly. 

“THERE ARE SOULS?!”

“Oh lower your voice for the angel's sake!” Flowey said, sounding irritated. “Do you want the old hermit to come here and ruin everything? Do you want the entire ruins to hear you?”

“Sorry,” Frisk said. “It’s just… this is so much to take in, I… sorry, just… give me a few minutes to uh, absorb this alright?”

Flowey looked at her thoughtfully for a few seconds and then frowned.

“Fine,” he said. “Take your time then.”

“Thanks.” 

Frisk put her hand on her chest and breathed heavy but slow breaths. She felt the heart in her chest, pounding. It slowed down after a while, but the anxiety crawling up her spine still remained, although to a lesser degree.

Frisk looked at the flower. Now that she was calmer than before, she decided to start with one of the questions she had.

“So you said that it was possible to, uh, reset without dying,” Frisk began. “Can you tell me how?”

“Well, it’s kind of hard to explain,” Flowey said. “I don’t think I can explain it if I were to be honest. It’s just something you have to know is all.”

Frisk sighed.

“Fine, later,” she said

Frisk let one of her foot dangle of the edge of the bed and finally managed to gather the last of her thoughts and question into a nice mental pile. 

“So do you have any idea how I uh… gained this power?” she asked. “Flowey?”

“Oh sorry,” he replied, sounding a bit spooked. “I decided to doze off for a bit since you were doing… your thing. Anyway, what were you saying?”

“I was asking you how I got this power,” Frisk said. “The power to go back in time whenever I die I mean.”

“Well that’s simple,” Flowey said. “I… I don’t know.”

Frisk looked at him doubtfully.

“You don’t know?” she asked.

“Well, yes- I mean, no,” answered Flowey. “I’m sure I did know how at some point, but in case you haven’t noticed, my memory’s not up to snuff now, possibly relating to my coma. I think the power has something to do with the amount of determination you have, which is like a magic juice thing inside every human soul, and since you have more determination in your soul than any other being down here, you somehow gained the ability to cheat death? I think? I’m not sure. Anyway, are you done now? Calming down I mean?”

“Yeah I, uh, think so,” Frisk said.

“Great, good to hear,” Flowey said. “Now can we keep going?”

“Yeah, you said you could help me,” Frisk said. “How exactly?”

Flowey went silent for a moment, and then he chuckled.

“Well you want to go home don’t you?” he asked Frisk and she nodded. “Well, I can help you with that. Like I said earlier, I once had the same power as you do now, and with it. I explored the entire underground from north to south, east to west dozens of times. I’ve read every book, burned every book, bought everything, sold everything. I’ve even killed people, only to reset and become a friend to the same person immediately after. I have done practically everything down here I can think of. See where I’m going with this?”

“I think so yeah,” Frisk said. 

“Good,” Flowey continued. “Because what I’m saying is, there is not a single being that knows the underground as much as I do. I am literally the best person that can help get you home, and you are immensely lucky to stumble upon me, and the fact that you saved me, although unintentionally, makes me feel incredibly indebted to you.”

Flowey’s face suddenly turned a bit dour.

“The bad news is,” he said. “That my memory isn’t up to snuff as I said earlier. I have dozens of gaps in my mind and of some events I’ve been through, I can only remember the basic outlines. Not to mention, lots must’ve changed in the underground during the past 5 to 6 years since I was gone, so even if my memory was perfect, it still wouldn’t be completely enough.”

Flowey looked up Frisk who was now feeling somewhat worried, and he gave her a reassuring smile.

“But do not fret though,” he said. “I still remember most of the layout of the world, including some places only a few have gone to. The underground may be magical in nature, yes, but I doubt there would be entire landscape changes and different placements of towns and or rivers in just half a decade. Now, with that said, shall we finally be off now?”

“Wait,” Frisk said.

She had just realized something she forgot to ask. Something important.

“How do I know if I can trust you?”

Flowey became silent again, and his smile waned as if he didn’t know how to proceed. He stared at her for a good few seconds before he chuckled and talked again.

“Well that’s the thing isn’t?” he began. “You don’t know that. And frankly, you don’t have to. Honestly, I really should have been clearer in my intentions here. You see, I’m not trying to make you trust me. I’m not begging or threatening your life for you to take me along. I’m merely presenting you the option to have me as your guide so to speak. Of course, we can all just… go our separate ways now and then this moment will be the last we ever see of each other, for the time being at least. Who knows, maybe you really don’t need my help or even any help for that matter. Maybe you can solve this puzzle and get home all by yourself.” 

“But,” Flowey continued, and his tone seemed to change again. “I have to be perfectly honest. I would really appreciate if you’d at least consider my proposal. You saved my life after all, and I really want to reward it to you somehow, even if just a little. On the other hand, though, you are a young, although nearly adult by human standards, 16-year-old girl who just a few hours ago learned that magic and monsters exist in the world, so I don’t blame you for not trusting me immediately. Hell, you’re probably thinking that I could be lying about all of this. Then again, most humans and monsters didn’t make it far in their lives if they didn’t take any risk or two. So, with that said.”

Flowey slowly extended one of his vines until it was only an arm's length from Frisk. There he held it floating in the air like he was waiting for a handshake.

“Do you want my help?” he asked calmly.

Frisk stared at the floating vine, thinking. Normally, she would absolutely refuse help from a stranger, especially in this kind of situation. Once Frisk became a teen and was no longer considered a child, she believed she understood the world better than most.

But now, everything was different. Frisk now felt like the things and people she would normally trust or understand no longer held the same benefit of doubt and vice versa. It was if the world had turned on its head just overnight. 

As for the flower, Frisk felt he was sincere in his tone and that he truly wanted to help her. 

He could also have been lying, about her power and everything, and now wanted to use her for some malicious purpose. 

_ What could be the worst that could happen should I not take his offer? _ Frisk thought.

Well, the first that would happen, Frisk wondered, was that she would say bye to him and go back by herself into the ruins. Maybe she would do much better than last time. Maybe she would die again and fall right back into this place where the flower would ask her the same questions again. Maybe she would accidentally put him back into a coma that way. 

Frisk also didn’t know how to “save” as Flowey put it, at least not consciously, so she could always fall back to this exact place and time over and over again and have to redo the same hours, maybe days. Or maybe she would accidentally save at some unfortunate moment and be stuck in an infinite loop with no one around to save her.

So many dark possibilities flew around in her head. All this was, of course, assuming Flowey was telling the truth about her powers. 

But as strange as it sounded, Frisk found this hard to deny. She suddenly felt as if somewhere deep within her soul and mind, there was another mind where she knew and understood this power. Like a consciousness within her consciousness. 

Maybe though. Frisk wasn’t sure. Of anything anymore. This was all starting to feel like a dream to her.

_ Maybe this really is a dream _ , she thought.  _ Maybe I should just act like it is, and go through the motions, blindly.  _

“Well?” Flowey asked impatiently.

Then, as Frisk looked at the flower’s eyes, she suddenly felt the same imaginary place within her soul, stirring as if it was trying to speak.

_ Take it, _ she felt it say.  _ Take it _ .

And so, despite everything her guts were telling her to, the deep parts of Frisk’s soul proved stronger

“Screw it,” she said out loud and grabbed hold of the floating vine and shook it. “I’ll take it.”

A huge, satisfied smile formed on Flowey’s face.

“Ahhh, it’s a deal then,” he said, “Now hold still for a moment.”

Then, before Frisk could react, Flowey had lengthened the vine Frisk was holding to be even longer, and it crawled up her entire hand and all the way to the point it reached her back. Then Flowey used that same vine like it was a small, thin robe to pull himself out of the pot, which gave of a noticeable  _ pop _ sound, and landed on Frisk’s hand. 

“Hey! What are you-”

“Oh, you try walking again after not using your legs for who knows many years, or in my case, roots!” Flowey said while he crawled up her arm.

Frisk felt the flower and his vines tickle a bit as he crawled to her back where he used the same vine to tangle around her shoulder like a strap, and then he formed another vine to cover the other one. He now felt like a strange, organic backpack.

“Well, you could have at least asked me beforehand,” Frisk said, sounding somewhat irritated. “But anyway, what’s-”

“Oh, lords!” Flowey suddenly said.

The two vines around Frisk loosened and the talking flower fell limp of her back and straight onto the floor.

“Flowey!”

Flowey now remained nearly motionless on the floor, groaning in pain. Frisk turned around and looked at him. This was the first time she got a good look at Flowey’s “body”. It consisted of a single, long green stem with two vines to the side working as it's armed. At his bottom was a large, brown root still dirty and covered in mould from being so long in the flowerpot.

Frisk kneeled down on the floor feeling a slight worry.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

_ Why am I worried for him _ , Frisk thought.

The flower groaned again.

“Ugh, no, not really,” he said. “I think I may have underestimated just how weak I am exactly. Didn’t consider for some reason that not moving for like 5 to 6 years might have some effect on my muscles and grip strength, or whatever it is that keeps my vines strong.”

He then looked Frisk straight into the eye with a look of complete sincerity.

“You’re going to have to carry me for the time being,” he said.

“What, no way,” Frisk said.

“Oh come on, it’s only for a short while,” Flowey said. “Just until I get my stamina back. Won’t take that long. Besides, it’s not like I weigh that much. Wait, are you even paying attention to me?!”

Frisk didn’t seem to notice him anymore as she was looking at something in the corner of the room.

“I have a better idea,” she said.

“Oh, what could you-”

Flowey stopped as he realized what she was looking at. 

“Oh no,” he began. “No, no, no, no.”

“What you got a better idea?” Frisk asked.

“Yeah, the one I just told you about!” he answered. “I ain’t gonna be treated like I’m a freaking tool or a plaything.”

“Well I ain’t gonna carry you with my hands for hours or days,” Frisk protested. “And it’s not like you can fit into my pockets either way.”

“But it's… dark in there. And tight.”

“Then I’ll just keep it open.”

“But… but… oh fine!” Flowey said in complete defeat. “Just try to be careful and don’t make me it too uncomfortable for me ok? If it will be, then you’ll not hear the end of me complaining.”

“Deal.”

Frisk leaned down and grabbed Flowey by the stem.

“Hey, hey, gentle. Gentle!”

“Sorry,” Frisk said.

Holding the sentient flower in her hand, Frisk walked to the pink backpack and put Flowey as carefully as she could into the largest opening.

“Is this ok?” she asked.

“Yes, yes, stop asking with every inconvenience and hurry up alright?”

With the flower now placed inside the backpack like it was a large pot of pink leather, Frisk slowly picked it up and put her hands through the straps in a unique way as to not turn it over, which proved to be more awkward than she expected. When she was done with that, she adjusted and tightened the backpack to make sure it wasn’t too shaky or loose for her new passenger.

“Ok, what now?” Frisk asked.

“First things first,” Flowey said as he adjusted himself inside the backpack. “You should open that other box.”

“Why, what’s in there?” Frisk asked.

“Something that will be of much help to us.”

“Wait how do you know what’s in it?” Frisk asked.

Flowey replied that question with another question. A question that immediately put Frisk on edge:

“What, you think you’re the first human kid to fall down here?”

“What?” Frisk exclaimed. 

She had suspected for a while now that she wasn’t the first human here, what with the stories of missing children that dated to even a hundred years ago, but the sudden confirmation was still felt completely out of left field and thus was very unnerving for her.

_ Of course, I wasn’t the first _ , Frisk thought.  _ I should have known. But wait, if I’m not the first human here then… why the hell has nobody returned from this place? _

“You’re really surprised?” Flowey asked condescendingly.

“Not really,” Frisk admitted “I should have guessed it though from all the stories and rumours. But wait, if the old man isn't dangerous, then what happened to the others?”

Flowey went eerily quiet.

“Flowey?” Frisk asked.

“I don’t know,” Flowey confessed. “Maybe I did know the truth about it once, but if that’s the case then it’s, unfortunately, one more thing that I have forgotten. Eh, we’ll burn that bridge when we get there. Why don't you go open that other box now?”

“Right,” Frisk said.

As she went over to it, Frisk couldn’t shake off that dreadful feeling, even though she tried to. All she could think of while she tore open the lacklustre packaging was of the other people who came before her. Because of it, she barely even noticed the metallic clanking sound that came as the box shook.

“Come on,” said Flowey. “Hurry up.”

“Calm down,” Frisk said, feeling a mild shock after being pulled from her thoughts. “I’m almost done.”

“Well can you keep it up a little.”

“I’m going as fast as I can. Besides, what could be so possibly important inside this-”

Frisk finally opened the box and saw the deadly, metallic instrument within.

“A knife?” she asked. “What the- why the hell would the monster give you a knife as a present?”

“Well, would you believe me if I told you this present was actually meant for you and the necklace was for me?” Flowey said.

“What, I mean no, maybe,” Frisk said. “I mean, he’s unstable as hell so I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Well at least you’re not as surprised as the last kid who came here,” Flowey said. “That time, the old man didn’t mix it up as he did with you. Gods, you should have seen his face after the kid accidentally cut himself on the knife, just after opening the box.”

“Other kid?” Frisk asked. “Can you tell me about them?”

“Nah, I’ll tell you about him later,” Flowey said. “Once we are out, that is.”

“Alright then,” Frisk said. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Great idea,” Flowey said. “Because I’m sure to forget.”

_ I feel like I keep getting new questions at every second _ , Frisk thought as she pulled out the knife from the torn box which she then threw nonchalantly on the floor.

The knife looked somewhat inhuman and magical in design, despite being indistinguishable in size and shape from an ordinary combat knife and it fitted nicely in her hands. The handle was mostly plain, being nothing but black metal with some dark brown leather sewn on it. The blade, which had the most noticeable aspect, was mostly ebony coloured with an unmissable, blood red hue on it that seemed to glow like it was forged in some evil place. 

“What’s the deal with this knife?” Frisk asked. 

“Well, it’s a knife,” Flowey said. “What else.”

“It doesn’t look or feel normal, is all,” Frisk said. 

_ Is this just how knives made by monsters look like? _ she thought.

“Anyway, what am I supposed to do with it?” she asked Flowey.

Frisk was starting to feel nervous, even more than she was already, at what could possibly be the purpose of needing a weapon like this.

“Well you need it to cut open the door out of here,” Flowey said. “And when we’re through, who knows? Maybe we fall into some vines or have cut our way through some thick foliage.”

Frisk felt a bit of relief hearing that answer.

“Also,” continued Flowey. “If the old man comes and tries to stop us, it would be nice to have this thing to, y’ know, shank him.”

“What?!” Frisk exclaimed

Despite having only known him for a few moments, she couldn’t believe what he was suggesting.

“Are you out of your goddamn mind?!” she asked. “I ain’t gonna kill him!”

“I didn’t say you have to!” Flowey replied. “I merely said it was a possibility that there be a situation where you have no other choice. And if not him, then maybe someone else you see?”

“Oh, I’m not killing anyone!” 

“Fine then,” Flowey said with a hint of sarcasm. “Let’s go with your idea and be all willy nilly to anyone who hunts us down and tries to kill us. Who knows? Maybe we can be friends to them.”

“You- you do realize there’s like a fine line between killing someone and trying to befriend them!” Frisk said.

“Of course I know that!” Flowey said. “Just don’t be surprised when you hit a wall dozens of times because you keep being killed by the same person over and over again. Sometimes, you have to take drastic measures to survive in this world.”

“Alright look,” began Frisk. “We can waste our time here debating the morals and justification of murder all we want, but it’s clear we aren’t gonna go anywhere with this soon and right now, I think I just wanna get the hell out of here. As you said, we’ll burn that bridge when we get there.”

“Fine,” Flowey said. “Your choice. But I will prove you right, no worries.”

“Whatever,” muttered Frisk.

She flipped the knife upside down and put it blade first into one of her pants pockets.

“Anything else I need to do in here?” she asked.

“No,” confirmed Flowey. “Not unless you wanna take home those books and toys for souvenirs.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Great, then let’s finally go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah.  
> This was a really, REALLY, long time coming. Sorry
> 
> I really don't have a good excuse for this month and a half long hiatus. Except for maybe the fact that it was a terrible time to work on an original short story. Turns out, writing an original short story... is not that easy. When you are making your own world, you have to also remember the rules you made for it, and make sure it's cohesive as hell. I thought at first that it would take me at least two weeks to finish the first draft, but I've barely just finished the introduction to the story, and may I remind you, it's a short story for crying out loud. And then came the tests. Off the tests. Also took much of my attention this month.  
> But as I was just finishing them, I realized that it had been a long time since I made updates to this fic, and I really hate to keep people waiting.   
> On the bright side though, during this long hiatus, I was able to brainstorm dozens of ideas for this fic, and even fill in some gaps I wasn't thinking of. Honestly, though, I am not gonna abandon my "proper" writing at all. I am still going to finish the story I had in mind this summer, but that does NOT mean that I am going to abandon this fic any time soon, far from. I am just going to hop between my original stories and this one. The bad news is that it could mean that waiting may be a bit longer than usual. But I'll try my hardest not to make it as long as the one between this and the last.  
> Thankfully, the next chapter won't be so long away since I have already finished a decent portion of it. Don't know when I can finish it so I won't promise any release dates, sorry.
> 
> And to make a long story short, thank you, readers, who haven't abandoned me yer and I'll see you guys soon. Adios.
> 
>  
> 
> Oh and one more thing.   
> Since you guys have been so patient, how about a little treat. I'm gonna tease something that I have been planning for a while. It's not a major spoiler, don't worry. I am not giving away a plot twist or a vital scene, but it will be a large hint of what's to come., but to those who are desperate to avoid spoilers for anything, even if it's minor, I suggest those folk to stop reading from here on out.
> 
> Still here?  
> Alright, here we go.
> 
> There will be at least one (maybe 2), non-canonical ship later in this story.
> 
> I ain't telling who are involved, or even what kind of ship it will be except for that it's indeed romantical. I want it to come organically, and fit the tone of the story, and it also might not come until much later.   
> All I will say about is that it is a semi-popular Undertale ship that formed about the time the game first came out, and it's 100% consensual.  
> That's all I will say about so start speculating people.
> 
> And before you ask, no it isn't Frans. Sorry to disappoint you, but it's not really my thing. If you ship it though then fine. You do you alright?


	9. The ruins FINAL

**The ruins FINAL**

  
  


Frisk carefully opened the door and peeked out to the hallway. The first thing she noticed was how eerily dark and quiet it was.

“How the hell has the old monster guy not come here yet?” she asked. “We must’ve made like a ton of noise yelling in there.”

“Ah, he must be too busy sobbing in his room to hear,” Flowey said. “He does that every time he has a breakdown.”

“Hey speaking of breakdowns,” Frisk began. “Can you tell me what the hell was up with that face shifting thing he did earlier?”

“I… really have no idea,” Flowey said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’m about as surprised as you. I’ve been with him for like half a decade yet he has never done that before.”

“Never you say?”

Frisk found that hard to believe. She could still see the utter regret the old monster seemed to express immediately afterwards like he accidentally revealed something he shouldn’t have.

“Yeah, never,” Flowey confirmed. “The only possible thing I can guess is that it has something to do with the whole resetting thing going on with you, which seems to be the answer for everything now. I don’t see how it matters to us though since we most likely won’t see him again.”

“I was just curious,” Frisk said.

“Of course you are,” Flowey said. “Can we keep going now because we're wasting time?”

“Right, sorry.”

Frisk crept through the door and carefully closed it behind her. She tried listening for any signs of the old hermit but heard nothing. Still, she thought it was best to go slowly and carefully.

As she was creeping closer to the entrance of this dwelling place, Frisk realized that she wasn’t as scared or nervous as before. In fact, she was barely scared at all. The truth of her powers was finally getting to her. Still, she also felt a bit bad for leaving the monster alone without telling him. But she also suspected heavily that if she did, the creature then might try his hardest to stop her. It was not a risk she was in the mood to take.

Once Frisk exited the hallway, she turned to the entrance. She was barely a step through when Flowey interrupted her.

“No, no, no,” he said, “Not that way.”

“What do you mean?” Frisk asked, feeling confused now. “This is the only way out.”

Flowey went quiet, and the air around them was filled with a scent of smug disappointment.

“Of course you thought it was the only way out,” Flowey said. “Why did I assume anything else?”

“Alright jackass,” Frisk said. “If that’s not the way out then what is?”

“Well gee,” the flower began. “If only there were some other door in this very room. Fine, since you seem to be so dimwitted, I’ll tell you. I am in fact talking about the door down the stairs behind you.”

Frisk felt her heart stop once she heard that. The fears she thought she had vanquished had suddenly returned in an instant.

“Ar-are you serious?” she asked nervously.

_ He can’t be talking about THAT door, is he? _

“What, you thought it leads down to an empty basement or something?” Flowey asked.

Frisk turned around and walked to the side of the stairs. She looked down at the boarded up door and her heart pounded. Just looking at it filled her with unease.

“Why, what’s wrong with it?” Flowey asked.

“Th-the old man told me not to open it,” Frisk said. “He said there was some evil shit behind that door. Demons or something.”

Just after she said that the flower began to hold his breath, trying to keep himself from bursting into laughter. Frisk turned her head around to face Flowey, and she was starting to feel somewhat frustrated.

“What’s so funny,” she asked.

“You actually bought that?” Flowey asked, smiling a cocky smile. “Like for real? Gods, you really are an idiot.”

“Let me guess,” she began. “That door leads home right?”

“Of course it does!” Flowey said. “Why else would he make up that story?”

Frisk sighed. She couldn’t help but feel used by the old hermit.

“Alright, let’s get going,” she said.

She walked down the steps, carefully so that the steps wouldn’t creak. Not that it really mattered, as the old hermit wouldn’t have heard it either way. It was more due to a force of habit at this point.

“Gods, can you move on already?” Flowey complained.

“Calm down,” Frisk replied. “We’re halfway there.”

“And we would be there now if you actually walked properly.”

“God, can you stop complaining? At this point, I am considering whether taking you was a bad idea.”

“Alright then, take your time. Just don’t be shocked if the monster takes you while you're still on the next step.”

After an unnecessarily gruelling journey down the steps, filled with Flowey’s occasional impatient groaning, they were now standing in front of the large, boarded-up wooden door. 

“Finally,” Flowey said. “Now the next thing you need to do is cut those tapes off.”

“Wait, is this the door you mentioned?” Frisk asked. “The one that the knife is supposed to be used on?”

“Yeah, why?” Flowey confirmed.

“I dunno, it feels kind of a downer,” Frisk said. “Judging by the design of the knife, I just expected the door to look more mythical and ancient. Like a large, house-sized, stone slab decorated in glowing runes or something”

“Well it was the only knife that’s in this house,” Flowey said. “Oh by the way, can you hurry up already? Or are you just gonna stand around and ponder every five seconds or so?”

“Ok then, geez.”

She put her hand on the door and used the other to cut down the duct tape with the knife. The first plank loosened and dangled on the door. Frisk carefully took it off and put it on the bottom step, slowly as to not make a sound.

“I think I could have just ripped the tapes off with my hands, y’ know?” Frisk realized.

“Ehh, it’s too strong,” Flowey said.

“C’ mon, it’s just duct tape,” Frisk said. “How hard can it be?”

She put her knife in her pocket for the time being and attempted to pull off the tape of another plank. It proved to be extremely ineffective. The tape was unnaturally strong. She tried again and groaned a bit before giving up.

“Told you so,” Flowey said condescendingly.

“God, what are these things made of?” Frisk said.

“Well the old guy used some magic on it,” said the flower. “I saw it with my own eyes, or rather with whatever it was that made me able to see back when I was in that state. He didn’t think to make it knife proof for some reason.”

“Magically enhanced duct tape,” Frisk said, realizing how weird it sounded out loud. “Got it.”

Frisk then went back to the original plan and cut off the tapes of another plank. This one was diagonal, so it proved very awkward to cut, especially the top part where Frisk had to stand on her toes to reach. After that, there were only a few dozen more.

A few planks later, there came the sound of a door opening, somewhere in this house.

“You hear that?” whispered Flowey. 

“Oh shit,” whispered Frisk.

Frisk began to frantically cut out the last remaining planks, which thankfully proved to be much easier as most of them were hastily put and disorganized. After a while, the bottom steps were covered in a pile of loose planks.

Then, after she removed the last plank, which was very large and heavy and covered the entire door horizontally, she stopped. Standing in front of the large, wooden door, an uncomfortable sensation was starting to grow in her gut. She was suddenly reminded of one thing the old monster had told her.

_ Down there… Lay only the evilest things ever dreamt up from the dark deep imaginations of the most wicked monsters _ .

“What in the angel’s name are you waiting for?” Flowey whispered, sounding somewhat agitated. “The old man can be here any second now. Open it.”

“This… doesn’t feel right,” Frisk admitted.

_ What if the monster was telling the truth _ ? she thought.  _ What if this is a trick? _

“I don’t care how you feel right now,” Flowey whispered, sounding irritated. “If you want to go home, then the only way to get there is through that door. You’re not actually buying what he said right?”

_ This feels weird, _ Frisk thought.  _ It feels like a trap _

“You seem awfully keen on opening this door,” she told the flower.

“Because it’s the only way out of here,” Flowey said, almost breaking his whispering in frustration. “I’ve told you like a gazillion times already. Now lay down your stupid suspicions and open that gods-dammed door.”

Frisk stared at the door, feeling strong and conflicting emotions crawling and biting at her mind.

_ An amalgamation yours and anyone's worst possible fears and nightmares made manifest, _ the creature's voice said in her thoughts.  _ Famine, war, death, chaos, disease. Countless things a wicked soul can possibly think of. _

“Are you brain dead?” Flowey asked, no longer whispering. “Open. The. Door.”

That last line was what made Frisk finally come to a decision, although hastily and unsure. But it was not the decisions Flowey was hoping for. Frisk walked a few steps backwards and felt the stirring of the confused flower on her back.

“No,” Frisk said, filled with certainty and determination. “I refuse.”

Flowey now looked absolutely befuddled. His mouth was wide open and his eyes spoke utter confusions. If he had eyebrows, they would surely speak frustration and anger.

“What?” he said, almost yelling it at this point. “Are you- ugh, for the angel's sake! Fine! Let me!”

“Hey what are you-”

In barely a moment, Flowey had extended one of his vines, making him wince in pain, and before Frisk could finish her sentence, he had wrapped the vine around the doorknob and gave out a painful groan as he swiftly yanked the door open. 

“Oh fuck!”

Then, as if on instinct, Frisk closed her eyes and cowered on the ground, and she felt an immense gust of wind rushing over her body.

She laid still for only about half a minute, but it felt like an eternity. At every moment, Frisk expected to feel horrible things, like perhaps dozens of teeth biting her skin like countless man-eating insects, slimy tendrils grabbing her and attempting to pull her into an incomprehensible hellscape, or waves of horrible, loud screeching or laughter from countless, inhuman terrors.

However, she waited. And waited. And waited. And yet, after a few moments, she felt nothing. Nothing at all. 

“It’s ok Frisk,” Flowey said and sighed. “There’s nothing here you scared idiot.”

Frisk frightfully opened her eyes. If there was any, she thought that perhaps she could glance at the eldritch monstrosities before being devoured or worse. Maybe the “evil” was waiting for her, waiting for her to look at it so it could savour her suffering. But, as she stood up and finally mustered the courage to glance through the door, Frisk was instead filled with shocking relief, and anger.

All there was through the door was a simple, empty corridor.

“See?” Flowey said. “No demons. No evil magic or whatever vague nonsense he was spouting. Nothing. Just a simple hallway that leads out of here.”

“He lied to me,” Frisk said, feeling betrayed. “The old bastard lied to me.”

“Oh, you’re surprised?” Flowey asked sarcastically. “Well, gee. It’s not like that old man is crazy and suffers from incredible loneliness issues or any-”

There came the sound of loud steps and crashings from above. Frisk listened for a while. The steps were becoming louder and closer.

“FRISK! FLOWEY! WHERE ARE YOU!” yelled the old monster.

“I think he’s coming this way,” Frisk said in frightful realization.

“Well, then what the heck are you waiting for?!” Flowey asked anxiously. “Run. Run!”

And so she did. She ran, ran as fast as she could down the dark corridor. 

“At the end of this hall, there is a left curve that leads to another door!” Flowey said. “It's much larger than the one back there and made of pure stone, so it will be extremely heavy and much harder to open!”

“How am I supposed to open it then?!” Frisk frantically asked, now seeing the curve ahead.

“Push it!” Flowey said. “Push it as hard as you can!”

Frisk quickly turned the corner without slowing down which caused her to crash on the walls a bit before getting back on her feet. At the end of this new path, a tall door made of pure stone indeed loomed closer. The door had a strange distinct rune marked on it, and it opened in the middle like an old castle gate. Behind her, Frisk heard the sounds of loud, running steps of a large figure.

“Hurry, up Frisk!” Flowey said anxiously. “I think he’s down here!”

“I know, I know!” Frisk said and increased her speed.

She was now running just as fast, if not faster than she did in the old ruins. She didn’t even have time to stop before she slammed headfirst into the stone door. 

“Gah.”

“Ok,” Flowey began. “Now push!”

“Got it, got it!” Frisk said.

Frisk put her hands on either side of the opening and groaned as she put all her weight into opening the door.

“God, why is this so heavy?!” she complained. “Flowey, can you give me a hand?!”

“Sorry, I’m too small and weak!” Flowey said. “Keep it up though, you’re doing great!”

Frisk wasn’t sure whether he was sarcastic about that last sentence, but she didn’t care. She felt the sweat run down her brow and cheek as she pushed. Still, she groaned and pushed as hard as her body could manage.

After a while, Frisk managed to get a small crack in the centre. It was big enough to peek through, and inside she saw another, long hallway that seemed to stretch further than any she had encountered so far. She pushed a bit more, and now the opening was big enough for her to squeeze through.

“Almost there!” Frisk said. “Just a little bit-”

“My child!” yelled the creature behind her on the other end of the hall. “You shouldn’t be down here! It’s dangerous for a child like you!”

Frisk stopped doing everything at that moment. She glanced at the half-open door and knew she could just squeeze through and then close the stone door behind her. But her anger, her feeling of disappointment at the old monster, overtook her, and she knew there was most likely not another chance to confront him. 

She turned around and saw a frail, decrepit monster in tattered clothing standing at the edge of the hall with a maddening glare and frown of disappointment. With the immense bravery she felt due to the knowledge that death was not final for her, Frisk was filled with immense determination.

“You just had to peek inside didn’t you?” he said. “Couldn’t let your curiosity lie in wait, is that it? Well, now you know what’s inside here. Now you know the real reason I had to board it up. Couldn’t let you two get into danger, could I? Now, why don't you and your little brother come back upstairs-”

“You lied to me, asshole!” Frisk yelled, and the monster seemed incredibly thrown aback by it. “You told me there was nothing down here besides some vague bullshit about something evil in order to scare me from it! You didn’t let me know this was the only way home!” 

“Tha-that’s not a nice way to speak to me like that,” the creature said, sounding confused and worried.

_ Has he no guilt or shame even after being caught? _ Frisk thought.

“Are you daft?” Frisk asked.

“You-you’re right,” the creature admitted. “I did lie to you about the door, and I’m sorry. But, it was for the best I… I only did it to protect you!”

“Oh, that’s bullshit!” Frisk said. “I thought you were nice! You were crazy, yeah, but I thought you were trying to help me! But it turns out you just wanted to keep me here, forever! So I could pretend to be your dead child in your little fantasy like I was some fucking toy to be dressed and played with!”

“That’s not true,” the monster said. “Not even close.”

“Well, whatever the case!” Frisk said. “I’m leaving! And I’m taking the flower with me!”

She turned towards the half-open door.

“Stop!” the creature shouted after her. “Listen to me! If you go through that door, you are putting yourself in far more danger than you can imagine! You have no idea what’s out there. If you leave the ruins then they… he…  **Mickey** … will take you.”

Frisk turned around to face him again.

“Really?” she asked him sarcastically. “Mickey? That’s the best name you got? Yeah sorry, but I’m not buying it.”

“He’s telling the truth Frisk,” Flowey told her. “This time that is.”

She turned her head towards Flowey to see if he was joking or not. Once she saw no hint of irony on his face, Frisk felt a sudden discomfort.

“Flowey…” the creature said, seeming to have finally noticed him. “My son.”

“I’m not your son,” the flower said to him with disgust in his voice.

“I-I know you’re angry at me,” the creature said. “I shouldn’t have lied to your friend like that. Or to you for that matter. But I’ll make it up for you. I promise. I’ll even bake you your favourite pie, just the way you like it. Just come upstairs, and we’ll go through this issue peacefully.”

He took one step towards them. That one step was just enough to put Frisk into panic and instinctively pull out the knife. The creature expression turned into shock at the girl now pointing the knife at him.

“Don’t!” Frisk said. “Don’t come any closer.”

“My child, where did you get that?” the creature asked. “You shouldn’t be playing with that thing. It’s dangerous.”

He took another step.

“DON’T!” Frisk yelled, and the tone in her voice became more worrying. “Please, I don’t want to do this! Just let us go, that’s all I'm asking you!”

The creature became silent for a few moments. Suddenly, his face took on a look of understanding as if the last remaining echoes of sanity within him came rushing forth.

“I understand,” he said. “I understand that you want to go. These ruins are dark and lonely, and you might not like it here. But it’s the best place for you. Here you are safe with warmth, food and companionship. Out there, it’s cold and lots of untold dangers. You won’t last very long. Please, Frisk, I am trying to protect you. Come back up here and- and I’ll try to be better. I’ll make this please as good and nice for you as I possibly can. We can even be... a family.”

He reached towards her with an open palm.

“Please,” he begged.

Frisk stared at the open hand, still holding the knife in her hand, and she felt a surge of guilt and sadness swell within her. The way the creature spoke with complete sincerity touched her like a gentle parent she never had. It made her realize just how awful she had acted. She slowly pointed the knife at the floor and looked at the begging monster. But she had made her choice, and she was gonna through with it, no matter how much she knew it would hurt the monster.

“Remember?” Frisk began “What you told me yesterday? You said I had the power and will to make my own choices in this world. That I could make my own paths. I understand what you are trying to do here, and I appreciate that. But I want to go home as well. I know of the dangers that are out there, but I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in this place because of that. Sorry old man, but I’ve made my choice. We’re going.”

The creature looked at her and his face seemed to take in a hint of sadness. He put down his hands and closed his eyes as if to hold back tears. Then he opened them, and they had taken on a look of understanding.

“If you really want to go so bad,” the creature began. “If leaving the safety of this place will make truly you happy, even while knowing of the dangers that are out there, then frankly… I won’t stop you.”

Frisk felt a slight rush of relief. 

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m sorry for-”

“But please…” the monster continued. “I beg of you with all my heart, just do one thing for me.”

_ Oh boy _ , Frisk thought.

The creature put out his hand again.

“Give me back my son,” he said. “Please.”

Frisk felt the flower stir in her backpack.

“Don’t do it, Frisk,” he said. “Please don’t leave me alone with this madman.”

“I just want my son,” the creature said. “That’s all I’m asking for and then you can go and do whatever you want.”

Frisk turned her head back to the flower who looked extremely afraid.

“Don’t even think about it,” he said. “You know I am the only one who can get you home.”

“My son is very weak,” the creature continued. “Very fragile in fact. He can’t even walk. He will not last long out that grim world. So please, if you can find it in your heart, give me him back. Please. I am not able to live with myself after losing two children at once.”

“Frisk!” Flowey said. “Please.”

Frisk saw how it seemed powerless and begging. Then she turned to the monsters and saw the exact same glint of pleading in his blue and orange eyes. But it wasn’t a hard choice for her to make though, even though it hurt a little.

“Sorry old man but no,” she said confidently. “He’s coming with me.”

Frisk heard Flowey sigh in relief.

“Thank you, Frisk,” he said.

“You…”

It was as if in that exact moment, everything surrounded them changed. Every element around them took on a drastic turn. The air became uncomfortably thick, and the warmth ever increased like a fire was burning the walls. The creature face turned dark and bleak, and his skinny hands shook like bare hands in the winter snow.

“You…” he repeated. “You dare… to take my son from me…”

“Oh shit,” Frisk said.

The creature’s hands began to glow orange, and his eyes seemed to light on fire.

“Oh that indeed,” Flowey said. “Let’s get the heck out of here!”

Without even thinking about it, Frisk turned around so quickly that it might as well have been in an instant and began to squeeze herself through the door as hard as she could.

“Come back here!” the creature yelled after her. 

Fireballs appeared in his hand, and he launched them in Frisk’s direction like missiles. Frisk felt the warmth of one that just passed above her head, and she saw it fly distantly into the long corridor.

The creature then gave out a loud roar which echoed loudly through the corridor, and suddenly, he began to run inhumanly fast towards.

“Frisk hurry the heck up!” Flowey yelled.

“I’m almost there!” she replied. “Almo-”

She felt something heavy grab her backpack and it was pulling her inward.

“FRISK!” yelled Flowey. 

Before being completely pulled in, Frisk managed to grab at the edge of one of the doors. She groaned as she resisted the immense strength of the large monster, and Frisk felt as if she was in a hurricane. The blade of the knife in her hand was squeezing at her fingers, and she felt the blood leak down her hand and drip on the floor.

“I gave you a home!” the creature said furiously. “I gave you comfort and food, and I have gone so far as to allow you to go! And you repay me with this?! By stealing my only child?! You ungrateful brat!”

“LET ME GO YOU-”

There came a distinguished ripping sound from behind Frisk. She was pulled back as the backpack was torn from the sleeves. She quickly and loudly hurled on the floor as loads of torn pieces and contents of the backpack flew in the air. The creature also fell on his back, due to the unnecessary amount of strength in his pull. 

Frisk felt like the world was spinning. The impact of her fall was incredibly sudden, and she landed with the back of her head. Still, she fought and tried with all her might to stand up. It was harder than it seemed, and it was like the world was going in slow-motion. She closed a fist around the red-hued knife still in her hand and rolled onto her stomach where she managed to pull herself up on all fours with her knees on the ground. She saw the monster laying in front of her, groaning and surrounded by torn backpack pieces, and in the middle of them both, there lay a single dazed flower. 

Then without any consideration, Frisk sprung up and ran towards it.

“NO!” she heard the creature yell.

Just as Frisk managed to grab the flower, the creature launched at her like a hungry bear and the flower and knife flew from her hands. There came a loud thump as they crashed on the floor. It happened so fast it took Frisk a moment to absorb it. When she did, she was filled with fright as the large creature loomed over her and forced her down with his hands.

“Don’t you dare take my son from me!” he growled. 

Frisk looked around and saw the knife to her side, the red hue seeming to glow in the dimness. It was very close, yet just out of reach as if it was mocking her.

“Why?!” the creature said to her pitifully. “Why do you want to hurt me like this?!”

Frisk wasn’t sure but for a moment, she thought she felt a tinge of sadness in his voice. But all that was immediately forgotten as she tried her hardest to grab the knife.

_ Almost there _ , she thought.  _ Just need to reach further. _

“You are nothing like the others,” the creature said sadly. “That’s what I liked about you at first.”

“Let go of me!” Frisk yelled.

She felt herself touch the handle.

_ Yes! _

“What are you-”

“LET GO!”

Frisk grabbed the knife, and in a rush of either adrenaline or instinct or both, she used all her strength and impaled the large monster under the armpits. The creature then stopped, and he stared at her in utter confusion and disbelief.

“What?” Frisk said.

She noticed her hand felt strange like it was elbow deep inside a wet and gooey cake. But she was more surprised by the monster's reaction, or lack thereof. Frisk expected him to maybe wince in pain or yell. Instead, he just stared at her like he had no idea what happened. Then the creature began to cough up a little blood.

“WHAT?” Frisk yelled. 

_ I only stabbed him lightly _ , she thought.  _ Is this a trick? How is this possible? _

It was at that moment that Frisk realized the horrible mistake she had made. She looked at where she hit him and gasped in terror. She hadn’t just stabbed him, but her hand had somehow pierced through him with the knife, and now she was as deep with her elbow inside his chest. To make things worse, the point of the knife was now coming out the other side.

“W… why?” the creature managed to ask feebly.

“I-I didn’t mean to,” Frisk said.

_ This can't be happening,  _ she thought.  _ This can't be happening _ .

“Ho-hold on,” she said. “M-maybe I can fix this I.. just need... uhh...”

She began to pull out her hand with all her might. It proved slower and much more uncomfortable. She felt the sides of her arm touch dozens of slimy organs and hard bones, and she was sure she even felt a lung beating.

She groaned as she pulled out the last of her hand and knife, and the speed of her pull caused volumes of blood to spew on the walls and ceiling. It also caused the creature to let go of her, and he fell limp with his back on the floor beside her.

Frisk quickly stood up, breathing heavily and panicky, not even noticing her arm and hoodie sleeve was covered in wet blood. 

The creature stared at the ceiling with wide open eyes. Frisk felt tears begin to form in her eyes.

“You-you can heal yourself right?” she asked in desperation. “Like you healed me. Back when you found me. You remember that right? Right?! You remember?!”

The creature looked up at her with eyes filled with sadness. Blood was spewing from his mouth and his side so a large red pool was forming slowly around the monster. Frisk felt herself growing sick.

“I-I’m so sorry m-my child,” the creature said as blood spewed from his mouth. “I’ve…  _ cough _ … I’ve been a… a terrible father. Please…  _ cough _ ... forgive me… for… everything… _ Cha- _

He coughed up some more of the loose blood which now filled up his throat.

“ _ Char- _ ”

He coughed again, and he began to choke. But it was only for a short moment, since almost as quick as defusing a candle, the creature gave out one last gurgle before he seized all movements and his eyes became lifeless, dull and empty of life. The last thing they looked at, was at the frightened girl who had killed him.

Frisk let the knife fall from her hand, and it gave out a loud clang as it touched the floor. She didn’t even notice or care that the blood on her was turning into dust particles which fell lightly on the floor like a slow waterfall of a thousand tiny feathers. Then the creature’s yellow beard turned grey, and the horns became like sand. Afterwards, the fur and blood followed suid. In the end, all that lay on the floor was a dirty, ragged robe filled and surrounded by colourless dust.

Frisk fell down on her knees. She put her hands on her head and gave out a high pitch sounds similar to a person about to scream. Then she felt something crawl up her throat. She couldn’t stop. She couldn’t muster the strength to hold it in. It was coming up from her stomach like an avalanche of disgust. Frisk looked down on the ground and began to puke. She could identify her breakfast, her candy bar from yesterday and some brown mud amongst the foul pile. She felt another pull, and Frisk put her hands on her stomach and gave out another hurl.

It hurt, hurt plenty to empty her stomach like that, yet Frisk found herself unable to care for the pain. So many thoughts were in her mind, yet she somehow found herself also unable to think. It was like her mind was an empty train station surrounded by dozens of carriages, all heading its way but then taking a turn at the last moment. 

She looked down at grey, dust-covered hands and it just dawned on Frisk these were hers, and thus her eyes began to water.

“Wow,” said Flowey, breaking the immense silence of the room.

Frisk didn’t bother to look at him. To her, it was like he wasn’t even in the room.

“That was… something,” Flowey continued.

He tried standing up before being reminded just how weak he was. The best he managed to do was crawl on the floor with his vine hands. it proved to be somewhat painful for him, yet he did it anyway.

“How is this possible?” Frisk asked no one in particular. “How did my hand manage to go through him like this? He was like 3 times my size and weight.”

“Oh yeah I forgot about that,” Flowey said. “Monster’s are apparently super weak to humans. Generally, that is. Human bodies are mostly made of water and mass, while a monster body is magical in nature. It also strengthens or weakens depending on their mood and will to fight. Unfortunately, most monsters are kind-hearted.”

He crawled in front of the pile and looked down at it analytically.

“Seems like deep down, he didn’t want to fight you after all,” he said. “If he did, he wouldn’t have fallen so easily.”

What Flowey said now just made Frisk feel infinitely worse. She began to sob and tears were falling faster down her face. 

“Shame,” Flowey said. “Eh, it happens. So anyways let’s get going on.”

He turned around and crawled a few steps while grunting in pain before noticing the bag was in utter tatters. 

“Looks like the bags gone,” he said. “Well, we’re back to my idea then eh?”

“Is that all you’re gonna say?” Frisk asked without looking up.

Flowey turned back around towards her.

“Excuse me?” he asked in confusion.

“I… said,” Frisk repeated, and this time there was a hint of fury in her voice. “Is that all you’re gonna say?”

She turned her head around and Flowey saw a young lady he barely recognized. Her eyes were red from tears, and her expression spoke grief and frustration. Flowey frowned condescendingly.

“Well what do you expect me to say?” he asked.

“I don’t fucking know?!” Frisk said, almost shouting. “Maybe something like “ it wasn’t your fault Frisk” or… or…  “I know this was bad, but it was either him or you” or… or just anything but-”

Frisk stopped mid-sentence and turned around to look down at the pile of dust on the floor. She put her hands on her head and began to shake lightly.

“I killed him,” she said. “I just… killed someone. Someone I-I didn’t mean to, and you’re acting like I only spilt some fucking milk or something.”

She turned around, and Flowey was shocked by the fury in her eyes.

“Have you got nothing for me?” she said to him.

Then Frisk went quiet, and the fury in her eyes faded like wind and returned to utter sorrow. She turned around back to the dust pile, and put her hands on her face and began to sob.

“ _ I’m so sorry _ ,” the murmured amongst the tears.  _ “I’m so sorry _ .”

Flowey looked at her state and felt immense discomfort. He wasn’t sure what it was or why, but looking at her like this was extremely uncomfortable for him. 

He sighed and began to crawl towards her, barely paying attention to the pain it gave him.

“Look,” he began as was beside her. “You’re right ok? This wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have had any idea that humans were immensely strong compared to monsters.”

His voice became more stern.

“But accidents happen.” continued said. “We learn from now. No matter how big it was, the best thing to do is move on. What happened, happened. If you want to stay here and skulk then, by all means, be my guest. But we need each other alright? And I’m not leaving until you’re leaving.”

Frisk didn’t reply. She wasn’t crying anymore. Just stared at the ground in thoughtful silence. 

“Alright,” Flowey said. “Ready when you are.” 

He turned around and crawled a few steps away, and he noticed that the pain wasn’t as bad now.

“Hey my hands are getting stronger it seems,” he said. “Or vines in my case.”

There came a sound of something metallic being pulled up from the ground.

“Frisk?” Flowey asked curiously.

He turned around to her and saw an unusual sight. Frisk had picked up the red-hued knife and was now staring. It took a few moments for Flowey to realize what she was planning.

“No,” he began. “No, no, no, no, don’t you even dare thinking about doing it.”

“You said that when you had my power,” she began without looking up like she was speaking directly to the knife. “Resetting that is, you killed some people only to go back and befriend them afterwards.”

“Yes!” Flowey confirmed. “But then I knew how to load without having to do… well, THAT.”

“Well this is just the same, isn’t it?” she asked. “Just more painful.”

Flowey sighed. 

“You have to move on sometimes y’ know?” he said. “You can’t just erase every single misstep you make.”

Frisk chuckled a bit.

“Why not?” she said and finally looked at him. “If I had the ability to, why not? Didn’t you do that often? Please don’t tell me you did. When you had the ability to cheat life like this without consequence, don’t tell me you didn’t use it on every opportunity.”

Flowey became quiet like a child caught in a lie.

“Yeah,” he admitted. “But that was then, and-”

“Please,” Frisk begged. “Just let me have this. Just this once, ok?”

Flowey looked at her in an almost loss of words. He was scared off this idea. Things were so much different now that he wasn’t sure of the full consequences of resets. But it was clear that Frisk would do it with or without him. He sighed in defeat and shrugged.

“Don’t have to get my permission,” he said. “Just be quick about it alright?”

Frisk breathed a bit easier after hearing that.

“Thank you,” she said.

She turned her head back around to face the knife. She felt a bit of relief of this choice, and dread at what she had to do to make it. She put both her hands on the handle and pulled the knife into the air, ready to strike.

“Frisk?” Flowey asked. “Frisk? FRISK?”

“What?!” Frisk said and turned around.

Flowey waited a short moment as if he was trying to find out what he was going to say. He looked extremely nervous about it.

“If I don’t wake up again,” he began. “If I go back to stasis after you reset.”

Frisk was surprised when she noticed fear in his expression.

“Please don’t leave me behind ok?” Flowey said. “Don’t leave me alone with the old man. And even if I never wake up again while in your possession… still ok? I don’t care about which places you go, just take me with you either way. Can you do that for me?  Please?” 

Frisk looked at him in silene. Even though he had been a bit of a pain, she couldn’t find it in herself to refuse. Not one bit.

“Ok then,” she said. “I promise.”

Flowey looked immensely more relieved.

“Well I’ll leave you to it then,” he said. 

Frisk turned around again to face the knife. She had had it floating in the air, ready to strike at any moment. Yet it felt hard. Hard, even though she knew she would be fine afterwards. She took a deep breath and prepared herself.

“Here goes nothing,” Frisk said to herself.

She closed her eyes and pierced herself through the throat. The pain and sudden impact forced her eyes back open. She dropped the knife on the floor as she fell down on all fours. She had expected her death to be much faster. 

Frisk choked and choked while volumes of blood began to leak out her open throat. She instinctively put her hand over the wound, but even if she wanted to stop it, it was no use. She tried to speak, tried to say something, but all she did was gag and gag. The world became blurry and unclear, and she saw her life flash before her. 

Frisk fell down face first into the pool of her own blood and vomit, and she gagged a bit more before the last parts of her life faded from her. She lay down on the floor, with open and expressionless eyes like the old monster. After a painful while, she stopped, and she felt the world go dark and cold. And then, she was gone.

Flowey looked at the now dead girl lying down in front of him. He felt unnatural vibrations build up in the walls, ceiling and air like the world was collapsing on itself.

“Welp, here we go,” he said to himself and closed his eyes.

 

...

_ Surprised to see you here Frisk. Didn’t expect to see you show up. _

_ Well, it’s mandatory. Better this then having to go through detention again. _

_ … _

_ Is something the matter? _

_ Nah. Haven’t been much into parties. You know that. _

_ Well, you aren’t going to have much fun by just standing in a corner. Why don't you try joining a little? Dance or even socialize a bit. I always say you need more friends. _

_ Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve got other things planned either way. I’m uh, waiting for someone. _

_ A bit too young to start dating don’t you think eh? _

_ Come on, I’m *****. Besides, it’s nothing like that ok?  _

_ I was just trying to be funny is all.  _

_ Well, that failed. _

_ … _

_ Who are you waiting for anyway? _

_ … _

_ You know who it is. Who else can it be? _

 

...

 

“Stop! Listen to me! If you go through that door, you are putting yourself in far more danger than you can imagine!”

It took a while for Frisk to comprehend her new surroundings. She turned around and saw the old monster standing in the hallway. Frisk smiled as she felt immense relief. 

_ It worked _ , she thought. _ It fucking worked _ .

The only bad thing, she didn’t go as far as she had expected or hoped.

“You have no idea what’s out there,” the creature continued. “If you leave the ruins then they… he…  **Mickey** … will take you.”

Frisk felt a large amount of stirring in her backpack.

“I’m awake!” Flowey said in ecstasy and laughed. “I’m awake! Oh, thank the angel and the gods or whatever’s actually up there! Finally, some mercy in this miserable life!”

“Flowey…” the creature said, seeming to have finally noticed him. “My son.”

“Oh yeah,” Flowey said. “We still have to deal with this guy again.”

Frisk’s mind raced around at this moment as she tried her hardest to find something in the room that could stop the monster. Something that didn’t involve either the knife or killing him. That’s when she looked down at her feet and thought hastily of a crazy idea. She knew there was most likely a better idea, but in her panic, it was the best she could think of.

“I-I know you’re angry at me,” the creature said. “I shouldn’t have lied to your friend like that. Or to you for that matter. But I’ll make it up for you. I promise. I’ll even bake you your favourite pie, just the way you like it. Just come upstairs, and we’ll… Frisk? What are you doing?”

Frisk had pulled her left foot up and removed her shoe from it. She lost a bit of balance ripping it off. Now she stood in front of the half-open door, with one bare foot and a shoe in her arm

“What are you doing?” the creature asked gently.

“I’m terribly sorry in advance,” Frisk said.

Then she chucked her shoe at the monster’s face. The impact was larger than she expected, but a bit more than she hoped for. The creature wailed and fell on the floor, and blood began to spew out his snout. It took Frisk a moment to realize what she had done. She had broken old the creature's snout. 

“Great thinking Frisk!” Flowey exclaimed. “Now go!”

Frisk didn’t bother stopping to bewail on what she had done, and turned around and attempted to squeeze herself through the crack. She did feel a bit sorry, but she knew there was a better time for it.

_ At least he’s not dead _ , Frisk though.

The opening was tight, so much so that she couldn’t even turn her head around.

“NO!” she heard the creature yell, followed by quick footsteps.

She was so close now, perhaps closer than last time. 

“C’ mon!” she grunted. “C’ mon!”

But then she felt the large hand of the creature touch and pull her backpack again.

“No!” Frisk exclaimed. “Not again!”

But, as if God or the angels or whatever it was that was guiding her had decided to be merciful, the creature suddenly let go and fell backwards while an unnatural sound which sounded like dozens of voices screaming at once came from him.

“I knew it!” Flowey exclaimed.

“What’s happening back there?!” Frisk asked fearfully.

“He’s doing the face shifting thing again!” Flowey answered. “Now’s your chance! Go! GO!”

Frisk groaned as the last part of her squeezed through the opening. She almost fell on the floor once she came through.

“Close the door!” Flowey yelled almost immediately after they were out.

“Got it!” Frisk replied.

She turned around, put her hands on either side of the door, and began to push. It was a bit easier than opening it, but not by much. Frisk could feel her back was starting to ache now.

“Oohhhh, hurry up Frisk!” Flowey said anxiously.

“I’m trying, I’m trying!” Frisk said.

As she continued to push, Frisk looked through the crack and saw the old monster stand up, with a bloodied snout and fury in his eyes. He was like a demon rising from its hot. The creature’s hand began to glow and then they lit on fire.

“Oh god!” Frisk said instinctively.

She pushed much harder now. She was close now. The crack was so small, only a mouse could squeeze through. Frisk yelled and pushed harder, and the creature yelled back as he launched towards the door. 

At precisely that moment, the large door closed on him, and he instead landed on a solid, stone wall. Once he got back on balance he began to pound the door with his fist, screaming like an angry ape with every punch. 

Frisk stopped in her tracks and looked around frantically for something to keep the door shut. She noticed there were two handles on either side of the door. Then she saw a large, bronze crossbar, laying on the wall.

Frisk didn’t stop to consider or care why the crossbar was on this side and not the other one and quickly put it down on the handles. The creature pounded on the door again. It shook the door, but the crossbar stayed still on its hinges, and that’s when Frisk turned around and ran down the hallway.

“You want to leave!” the creature yelled. “Fine! Get out then! Get out! GET OUT!”

He gave out a loud scream and punched the door with all his might. The impact left a large crack on it. 

The creature then fell down on his knees, tired. He breathed heavily and angrily, not seeming to notice the blood leaking down his snout. He noticed that the hallway was quiet, dark and indistinguishable from the rest of the ruins. His fury faded as he fell back into reality, and he could feel was shame.

“Fr-Frisk?” he feebly asked. “Flowey? Are you still there?

There came no answer. 

“P-please don’t leave me. Ple-please don’t. I-I’m sorry I…I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t mean to be so angry. I uh… I-I don’t want to be alone again I… Please don’t let me be alone again. Not again. Not again!”

The creature began banging the door, to no avail. He then tried to push the door open, but it proved useless as well. 

“Flowey! Frisk! Don’t leave me alone down here! I’m sorry! For everything! I didn’t mean to scare you or… or be so mad I…I…  FLOWEY! SON! FRISK! ANYONE!

The fur on his cheek became wet with tears, he began to pound on the door so hard his knuckles began to bleed. 

“COME BACK! IM SORRY, JUST PLEASE COME BACK! I DIDN’T MEAN TO! I DIDN’T MEAN TO! PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME! PLEASE! Please! Please…”

He sank down on his knees in defeat, his face wet in tears. 

“Oh gods,” he wailed.

He put his bloodied palms to his face and began to bawl.

“Oh, gods… I’m… I’m so alone,” he muttered. “Chara. Asriel. Don’t leave me again. Please don’t leave me again. Please, I-I can’t do this again. Please don’t leave me. Please don’t. Please. Please…”

  
  


“Wow he’s making a lot of noise back there,” Flowey said, looking at the door growing ever more distant. “Man, I knew that creepy face thing had something to do with your resets. We got incredibly lucky back there, eh?”

Frisk didn’t answer. She didn’t chuckle or even sneer. Just walked forward emotionlessly like a soulless automaton. Flowey noticed it and couldn’t understand why. He also realized that Frisk didn’t seem frightened anymore. In fact, she seemed confident to walk now. Flowey couldn’t ignore it. He felt he had to address her strange behaviour somehow.

“Frisk is there-”

“Let’s just keep going,” she quickly said, cutting him off.

Flowey frowned and looked back down the hall. The door was so far away now. You could barely see it. 

“Is it because of what happened earlier-”

“Stop,” Frisk said softly. “Just… stop. I just… it's just that…”

She sighed.

“Sorry,” Frisk said. “I just don’t wanna talk about it. Let’s just keep going and… focus on what’s ahead for now, ok?”

“Alright. If you say so.”

Flowey looked at the distant door behind them, which was so far away now that it would have been nearly impossible to spot if you didn't know about its existence. But Flowey’s thoughts were elsewhere now, on something that had been growing for the past few minutes that he now found impossible to ignore. It was an awful sensation he was feeling, not an exterior one like the discomfort of a bug crawling up his stem, or the sting of a leaf falling off him. The pain was inside of him, yet it was not of the physical sort. He felt it crawling in his soul like fear did before he knew his powers, but the strangest aspect of it was that it was also utterly familiar. Like he knew this sensation very much in a previous life. Could this awful sensation be… guilt?

No, it couldn’t be. He couldn’t feel any guilt. Not for another person that is. That would mean empathy and empathy was something he absolutely shouldn’t be physically able to have, no wanted how much he wanted it. Yet, he felt different. Different ever since he fell into a coma, and much more after Frisk woke him from it. Could his missing emotions be growing again? Was the universe finally kind enough to give him back what he had been wishing for in over a decade? For the first time in a long while, Flowey felt incredibly hopeful. But he dismissed it almost immediately. Not much good came from hope he thought. Not in this world at least. But for the time being, Flowey felt in a strange sense, happy for feeling so bad.

Frisk emerged from the hallway, and entered a large open area, not unlike the one she was in when she fell. Only now, Frisk didn’t have the energy to wonder about it. At the other end of this large opening, there was another large stone door. Frisk sighed once she saw it.

“Another door?” she said. “Alright. Let’s get to pushing.”

Thankfully though, this one was much lighter than the last one. After only pushing it a little bit, a heavy dose of cold, fresh air blew through, and both Frisk and Flowey realized just how heavy the air in the ruins had been.

On this other side of this door was snow. Snow, and dozens of trees reaching far, far away. For a moment, Frisk felt a bit overjoyed she thought she had finally made it out of the mountain. But then she looked up from out of the door and saw a distant cave ceiling. Not to mention, Frisk knew it was only September.

“Still underground are we?” Frisk asked.

“I’m afraid so,” replied Flowey.

Frisk sighed.

“How far does it go?” she asked.

“As far as our eyes can see, if I recall,” Flowey said. “These caverns are much wider than the mountain would suggest. That’s because it reaches deeper, and farther, and if that’s not enough, the air is made of magic and so some of the rules don’t work the same here as on the surface. For example, east down here could mean west above, and going right could mean going up. and so on and so forth”

Frisk took a deep breath, taking all this information in.

“All right,” she said. “So where are we headed.”

“The exit we are looking for,” Flowey continued. “Is near the end of the caverns, at the top of the king’s castle in the capital. It will take a long time to get there. Days if not weeks. You might die. A lot. Be it by some monster that wants to stop you, or some deadly traps or hazards. My memory is unfortunately still not complete, so I don’t know much of what we will encounter besides the general gist of things. Not to mention, lots must have changed for the past 5-6 years so even if my memory was perfect, it might have still not been enough. But I still remember the map of this place from top to bottom. Landscapes don’t change in only half a decade. I can tell you, the king’s castle will be one of the hardest points, but from what I recall, it will not be the hardest obstacle of this journey. That belongs to Mickey.”

“Who is this Mickey anyway?” Frisk asked.

“Wish I could tell you,” Flowey said. “I don’t remember much about Mickey besides his name, unfortunately. All I know is that we have to stay clear of him, no matter what.”

“Can’t be that bad,” Frisk said. “Not with my powers I mean.”

“Well see about that,” Flowey said. “Hope it won’t be too much of a nuisance though.”

Frisk smiled a little now. She looked down at the wide open and snowy area and felt a rush of determination. 

“Alright,” she said. “Let's go.”

She took a deep breath and walked out the door. It was clear to her that their journey had just begun. 

“Y’know?” Flowey began as she stepped on the snow “I got a feeling. A feeling that this is perhaps just the start of something wonderful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I finally discovered the real reason as to why I write so long.   
> I am just very lazy.
> 
> But anyways, after a long while, I am finally done with the ruins arc. This chapter here is the longest by far, spanning over 17 pages on my Drive. I was to be honest, I am not really sure about it. After I finish every chapter, I have a tendency to go over it from beginning to end to see if there is something I don't like and change it, or maybe see if there are some typos of sorts. It is perhaps the most boring part of this hobby, but since I don't have an editor, I basically do it all by myself.
> 
> Now since this chapter was like super long, I basically spent the last hour just going over it and, I kind of became tired and skimmed through a big part of it. So in short, there may be something I am not happy about later, and I'll probably go back to this story and edit it a bit. I'm also afraid that I made Frisk a bit too unlikable in this, but I just wanted to portray an emotional teenager discovering that someone she was beginning to like betrayed her, so I'm hoping I achieved that.
> 
> But anyway, we are finally done with the ruins arc after a few moments. The next chapter though, won't be for the Snowdin forest though. Not yet at least. You see, in between the end and beginning of every "arc" so to speak, there will be a short interlude chapter. These chapters will follow different characters, and they all relate to the main story somehow. Maybe they are foreshadowing future events, or they'll introduce characters that will appear much later or both. But they all relate to the story. You'll just have to figure out how by yourselves. At least until it's revealed of course.   
> I ain't telling what the first interlude is about, except that it will be a bit... well... magical.
> 
> But anyway, I hope you guys and gals stick around in the future and updates will come soon.


	10. Interlude 1: An old "man" named Gil

**Interlude 1: An old “man” named Gil**

 

**London 14th November**

 

**The year 2115**

  
  


Gil sat down in his cushioned couch, frowning like usual. In front of him stood Melissa, his apprentice, with her hands folding in irritation. Melissa was a young woman of 21, with dark ebony skin and long raven black hair let loose on her shoulders. She was dressed in a blood-red sleeveless shirt, and inconspicuous sky-blue jeans of cheap, organic material. In short, nothing that really made her stand out from a woman of her age.

If she looked like the average girl of the modern age, then Gil was like the residue of an old century that refused to die, which would describe him nicely to anyone who knew him properly. It was hard to believe that these two people were even from the same time period, much less being in the same room.

Gil had the look of a decrepit old man in his 80s. His long, dirty hair was like white seaweed, his sickly skin was elderly and bony with a soft green hue on its pale complexion, and his fishy sea coloured eyes looked wide and squinty. His attire was on a much fancier side, however, consisting of a complex looking nightrobe of smooth silk fitting an old king coloured violet with yellow patterns and markings on it, while on his foot wore simple, yellow sandals. He leaned a bit forward, holding himself still with a cane of dark brown wood, which seemed to show no signs of splinters or any imperfections.

Gil looked at the young woman in front of him, noting the way she seemed upset not at what she had done, but at the fact that she knew he didn’t approve it, and he gave out a deep sigh. 

_ This is why I never had any children _ , he thought.

The heavy November snow splattered against the windows like rubber bullets and melted into wet patters that overlayed on top of each other over and over again. The neon lights of the city shone in the night in all the rainbow colours, and in the distance could be heard the sounds of cars and other vehicles breaking through the snow. Not many cars came through this neighbourhood since it was old and in ruins, with most of the buildings being abandoned, filled with squatters or used as gang hangouts. This building, in particular, looked from the outside as broken down the rest of the ones in the street. On the inside though, it looked as fancy and clean as a rich man's manor, although much smaller and with only one floor.

In the living room of this house stood the current duo, staring at each other in silence. Both knew what was going to come next, and neither of them looked forward to it.

“So,” began Gil. “I guess I don’t have to remind you why we are here, having this conversation do I?”

Melissa didn’t answer. Just stood in silence, her arms still folded. Gil shook his head in shame.

“How many times did we go over this thing in this very room?” he continued. “How many times did I have to remind you of the consequences the reckless use of your gifts could entail? Never,  though, has this discussion mattered as much as it did now. Frankly, I had suspected you would do something like this sooner or later, yet still, I am deeply disappointed in you either way.”

Melissa scoffed as if to say that she expected him to make those exact words.

“It’s not like anybody saw,” she said. 

“Of course no one saw,” replied Gil. “Except for the 10 or so bystanders. And the boy you rescued of course.”

“You know I erased his and all their memories the first thing afterwards,” Melissa said.

“And that was good,” Gil replied. “Very smart and quick thinking of you in fact. But do you know what can’t be erased so easily? Do you know the type of memories that in this day and age can’t be removed as simple as flicking a wrist, no matter how powerful a mage you are and even after the person making them has long since died?”

He leaned a bit forward as he wanted her to especially hear this next part.

“Photographs,” he said simply. “Photographs and videos.”

“Look, even if some guy manages to record this thing and upload it online, no one is going to think it’s real,” began Melissa.

“I am not talking about some random sod with a cheap phone recorder!” Gil said strongly. “And you know that of course. There are live cameras  _ everywhere _ in this city. In this country even. You can’t go piss in an alleyway in this day and age without risking your entire ordeal being uploaded live to the government's database.”

“I’ve told you already, there were no live cameras pointing in his direction, I checked. ” Melissa said, sounding frustrated. “How many times do I have to tell you this?”

“So if there was a camera pointing in his direction, you definitely wouldn’t have saved him either way eh?” Gil asked sarcastically.

Melissa went quiet and looked away.

“Don’t lie to me,” began Gil. “I know you would have.”

“So even if I saved him in front of a camera, so what?” Melissa asked.

Gil looked incredibly insulted by what she just said.

“So what?!” he asked. “Have you learned nothing these past few months?! Have you learned nothing your entire life?!”

“I really doubt that within the countless minutes of footage that’s uploaded every day,” Melissa began and looked back at him. “They would have even noticed anything wrong in the few seconds of a guy laying down then standing up when some random woman touched him a bit.”

“Even if it was just an inkling of footage,” the old wizard emphasized. “Even if only a single person saw, we can’t risk anything we do getting out. Not after all this effort to conceal it.”

“So you are saying I should have just let him die?” Melissa asked.

Gil became silent. 

“Should I have?” Melissa pressed him.

“Yes,” Gil said simply. “Yes, you should have. He wouldn’t have benefited us in the least, and so you were in no position to help him. You didn’t even cause his state, not even indirectly. He would have died, and neither he nor anyone around would have had any knowledge of the existence either of us. This thing we share here is more valuable than the life of a single boy.”

Melissa scoffed and rolled her eyes. She had suspected him to say something like that, yet she hated hearing it nonetheless.

“When I came all the way here to be your student, all those months ago” she began. “I expected you to be better than this. My father-”

“Amal may have been a great man,” interrupted Gil and stood up from his couch. “But he was also stubborn, dimwitted and incredibly short-sighted for a man of his age. His kindness and sense of justice can be an admirable trait at times sure, but due to it he also constantly risked everything I, his mother, and all the other had built this past millennium. Yet every time we tried to warn him about it, about the dangers the reckless use of his powers could bring to the order of the world, he just smirked looked the other way. And now, many years later, tell me. Where is he now?”

Melissa looked at him, mouth agape in shock. Off all the insults and complaints Gil had ever given her these past few months, this was without a doubt the worst thing he had ever uttered to her so far.

“How dare you?!” she asked him. “He was my father!”

“So?” Gil said simply. “Just because he was your father doesn’t mean he’s above criticism, alive or dead. To his credit though, he taught you well in terms of the arcane, but his way of life, the way he has drilled into your brain, is outdated. Hell, it was outdated long before you were even born. The world changes, and thus the rules have to change as well. If you don’t approve my methods, then you can go. Go. I’m not stopping you.”

He leaned uncomfortably close to her, so close that you could barely squeeze a palm between them.

“And if you do,” Gil continued with much more emphasis on his words. “Then good luck finding yourself another magician.”

He walked past her and headed for the living room door. Melissa unfolded her arms and turned her hands into fists by her side. She wanted to shout at him, insult him with the vilest insults her deep heart could manage, but Melissa knew that there would be no good from it. She was taught that a long time ago. 

Gil opened the fancy door to his room and then stopped in his tracks. He turned his head slightly around and said:

“If you want to stay as my pupil, then we’ll continue your training at 12 o’clock in the morning. You know where to find me. Let me know when you come to a decision until then. You are dismissed. Good night.”

With that said, he went through the door and closed it behind him.

 

About an hour had passed since that moment, and Gil was now sitting by his lonesome in the living room chair. The snowing had gotten calmer and was now just a light drip on the windows. Gil had also turned off the holographic fireplace, and the ticking antique style digital clocks. Gil always liked the silence. It reminded him of when he was young, a long long time ago, before the era of bustling cities and worldwide connection. Partly why he picked such a desolate place to be his home. He considered picking an abandoned farmstead as his place at first, but this house had a deep personal meaning to him.

Gil tried not to think about what had occurred in this very room not so long ago. Gil was a very patient man and could handle more than a single outburst. He believed that this patience is what had kept him alive for so long, that it’s what kept him determined. 

He looked outside the windows at the buildings covered in multicoloured lights. He found it hard to believe that this was the same world he was born in. He reflected on how much it changed in just a few centuries, and now he wished he could live to see it would change in the next few. Unfortunately, his magic seemed to be reaching its limits, and his age was now finally starting to catch up with him after all this time. Gil began to realize that fully once his eyesight became worse and worse in the past decades. He calculated that he had only about a century to live, two if he was lucky. But Gil had accepted that fact. He had accepted it a long time ago, that he was one of the last fading sparks of a long forgotten era.

There were no active cameras outside pointing in the direction of the house, Gil noticed. Still, just to be sure, Gil walked up to the red velvet curtains and closed them. Then he walked back to his cushion chair and gave out a short sigh. It was finally a good time for him to shed this disguise.

He removed his shoes with his feet and loosed up his gown. His grey hair turned greener and oily, and his skin became and paler. The gills on his stomach were the first to appear. He felt them open up to his lungs, and breath out some loose air. Next, his feet began to lengthen and the toes fuse with one another, forming what looked two like flesh coloured fins. His hands then followed suit and became webbed. His ears became fin-like, and his mouth began to elongate like a fish head. Then his teeth became sharp as a piranha, and at last, his transformation was complete as his skin took on a scaly texture. Gil gave out a nice relaxing sigh as his veil had been taken off finally like socks he had to wear all day. He leaned his head on the top of the cushioned chair and dozed into a short sleep.

There came a sudden knock on the living room door, and a well built looking man wearing a suit with clay looking white skin came through.

“Apologies,” the man said immediately with a stoic tone. “I didn’t know you were shedding tonight master.”

“Wallace,” replied Gil, awake now. “It’s ok, you may come in. What is the matter?”

“Not much really,” Wallace replied, still showing no emotions. “Just came to let you know that Melissa has informed me through the phone that she is going to stay here as your apprentice.”

“Hmm, that’s great,” Gil said. “Is there anything else?”

Wallace became unusually quiet for a moment.

“Yes,” he said after a while. “In fact, there is on more thing.”

_ Oh boy _ , Gil thought.

“Alright, out with it,” he said.

Wallace walked into the room proper and stood besides Gil in his chair. There he turned his entire body around and leaned down a bit to his master.

“I couldn’t help but overhear the… the dialogue you had with miss Melissa last hour,” Wallace admitted.

“Are you eavesdropping again?” Gil asked.

“Apologies,” said Wallace. “It was not my intention to. My hearing is unfortunately too good, so I could hear everything that occurred between you two even behind two walls.”

“Nah it’s ok,” said Gil. “So was that all you’re gonna say or is there more?”

“There is more,” began Wallace.

Gil sighed, sensing what was coming.

“I passed by Melissa as she came from the living room and headed outside,” continued Wallace. “She seemed to be in a hurry as she didn’t seem to notice even bumping into me. Either that or she was in much emotional distress, which I am more inclined to believe as I had managed to glimpse her face before she left. It looked like she was a bit angry and sad, most likely related to some of the things you said about her late sir Amal, her father, just a few minutes before. So I know I wasn’t made to give such advises, but if I may dare suggest, for the sake of not just her wellbeing but yours as well, that the next time you meet her, which may be tomorrow if the next hours will be without any issues, that you should perhaps find it in you to apologize to her and-”

“That’ll be all Wallace, good night,” interrupted Gil. 

Wallace adjusted himself back without hesitation and gave out a small bow.

“I’ll be in my quarters if you need me,” he said. “Of course, you can always just call me from your room if it’s an emergency. Or if you just won’t bother standing up like usual.”

“That’ll be duly noted, thank you very much,” Gil said and chuckled.

The clay skinned butler bowed again and left the room, leaving Gil alone once again.

Gil gave out another sigh, this one more exasperated than the last. 

_ What would I do without you Wallace _ ? he thought.  _ A lot of things maybe. But you keep me sane at least. That’s all that matters about you in my eyes. _

Gil lay his head back on his chair and closed his eyes. He didn’t dream much, not anymore that is, but he at least knew the value of sleep. This was a long day for him, and he hoped that the next day was at least a lot less tiring.

 

Barely ten minutes had passed until there was a knock on the front door. Gil opened his large eyes immediately and sighed in frustration.

“Wallace!” he yelled. “The door!”

“On it!” the butler yelled back. 

“If it’s yet another of those preacher drones!” Gil yelled. “Then tell it to shove off! I’ve got enough problems as is!”

Gil lay his head back to try another attempt at sleeping. After about a minute, there came a knock on the living room door and Wallace peaked through.

“There is a young man out here,” he said. “Irish judging by his accent. He says he wants to speak to you personally.”

_ Who the hell could that be?  _ Gil thought.

“Tell him he’s picked the wrong house,” he told his butler. “I’ve got no meeting planned with anyone.”

“Sir,” Wallace continued. “He says he knows you’re a magician.” 

Gil turned his head around in shock.

_ What? _ he thought.  _ Did someone see Melissa dumb hero act? Of course, someone did. That someone must’ve tracked her down and followed her to me. _

Gil sighed.

“I warned that lady,” he said. “I told her something like this could happen. Fine, I’ll say hi to him for a moment. Shut him up if I can.”

He stood up from his chair and went out of the living room, but not before putting back on his human form.

“I should warn you though,” Wallace said after him. “This young man had some strange, unfamiliar aura to him. Might be magical in nature-”

“Yeah, yeah,” Gil said as he headed to the front door.

_ This man is gonna be a perfect example to use tomorrow, _ Gil thought.  _ She might think twice now before using her powers in public again.  _

He opened it up and a breeze of cold air followed by some snow came blasting through the door, and Gil saw a strange figure on the other side. Gil poor eyesights could only make out was a strange black silhouette with blinding lights in the background at first. Then he blinked a bit, and the silhouette turned into a clearer figure. The figure was tall and dressed top to bottom in a thin, dark green winter jacket, and his face was hidden from a large hood he sported. Both his hands were inside the jacket pocket.

“Who are you?” Gil asked grumpily. “What do you want.”

“I’d like to come inside, first of all,” the mysterious man spoke. 

The man spoke with a deep voice that had a tinge of an Irish accent in it, just like Wallace suspected.

“Look, if it’s something you can tell me right now then out with it,” Gil replied.

“Well aren’t you impatient,” the man said. “Funny. I had heard that patience was your strongest trait. Or did I confuse you with some other wizard?”

_ Wait, he can’t be talking about soul traits, is he? _ Gil thought.  _ And what does he mean by heard of me? Haven’t I’ve been perfect in erasing any traces of my life? _

“Did you just call me a wizard eh?” Gil asked back, trying to sound befuddled “Aren’t you a bit too old to believe in fairy tales?”

The strange man chuckled in response.

_ Is he amusing himself? _ Gil thought.

“You don’t have to pretend Gil,” the younger one said. “I already know who you are.”

Gil felt a fear growing within him.

_ How does he know my name? _ Gil thought.  _ How does he know any of this? _

“Look boy,” he said with a tone of confidence. “You are not the first crazy or junkie to come barging on this door, asking about some… voodoo magic or shit, and you definitely won’t be the last. Whatever you heard of me, it’s bullshit. Plain and simple. Now shove off, and have a good night.”

But just as Gil began to close the door, the wind increased in power and the door blew wide open, nearly off its hinges. Next, the mysterious man pulled up a strange stick from his pocket and aimed it besides Gil. Before Gil could react, the stick suddenly turned into a spear which extended to unnatural length and impaled the wall on the other side of the front door. Gil watched all this unfold in confusion and shock.

“How did you do that?” he asked.

The man’s spear pulled backwards and shrunk back to the size of a stick.

“You tell me,” he replied. “I thought you were an expert in these sort of things.”

Gil was suddenly reminded of what Wallace had just told him which he dismissed.

_ This young man had some strange, unfamiliar aura to him. _

He looked at the mysterious stranger and raised his hand to sense his soul. At first, there was nothing unusual about it, despite the incredibly high determination in it which was possible in normal humans. Then he felt something else. Something that he had almost forgotten the sensation of. It entwined the stranger's soul and seemed bound to it like a conjoined twin. Yet, Gil found it hard to place what it was. Then he looked into his past to try and find something he could remember resembling it. Then after a few moments, he found it and was hit by an immense shock. This sensation was that of a monster’s soul.

_ No _ , Gil thought.  _ It can’t be _ .

“You are… a halfbreed,” he said in disbelief.

The stranger chuckled.

“Hope so,” he said. “Never knew my father. It would make my life a lot more interesting.”

“I thought we wiped out the last of your filth ages ago,” Gil said.

The man chuckled again.

“Looks like you missed a few,” he said. “Funny you should refer to them like that.  _ Filth. _ Especially since that if the stories are true, you are only half human yourself eh? It doesn’t look like they called you The Merman because you had a tail for legs. Doubt they were referring to the one between your legs either.”

_ How the hell does he know about my silly title? _ Gil thought. 

“Well, what makes you think I won’t simply kill you right here and there?” the old man asked.

“Fine then,” the man said nonchalantly. “Do it. Of course, the cars passing by here in a while might wonder why there is suddenly a dead man covered in blood laying on your doorstep.”

“You’ll just turn to dust,” lied Gil. “And then the fools will think you’re snow.”

The young man became quiet for a moment and then chuckled once more.

“We both know that’s not how it works,” he said. “That is, of course, assuming you're right and I am in fact a “halfbreed” as you say. But even if halfbreed corpses really do turn to dust, I have a feeling you wouldn’t kill me either way.”

“Why not?” asked Gil.

The man became silent once again. This time, it seemed like the silence was due to the fact that he was looking for the right words to say.

“If you really wanted to kill me,” the man began after a short while. “You would have invited me in the second you suspected I was a half breed and then done it in quiet. I am no match for you, and you know that. In fact, you could burn me to ash right here and then let the wind take the remains. And yet… you haven't. Why?”

Gil didn’t speak. He sensed that it was true of the stranger in that he was much more powerful than him, yet it was true he did nothing. He tried to think of a justification why but realised he was stumped. He wasn’t sure he even the answer himself.

“You feel lonely aren’t you?” the man suddenly asked.

Gil felt those words suddenly hit him in a place he didn’t know he had. It was like the stranger managed to grasp the reason for his actions before Gil even knew of it himself.

“What makes you say that?” Gil asked.

The stranger shrugged.

“Why wouldn’t you be?” he asked. “Stories say that ever since the great purge, you decided to keep your life so you could use your powers for the good of the world, even though you were one of the so-called “filth” yourself. For a long time after that, you have believed that you were the last of your kind. The last halfbreed. It truly must be lonely to wander the earth for dozens of lifetimes with no-one that can share your experience.”

“But now,” the stranger continued. “Suddenly after a long time, comes a mysterious person, a possible halfbreed not to mention, into your life. I have come for your help, and your help in particular even while knowing of your infamous reputation with your own kind, and yet I have shown you no ill will. Not only that, as I said earlier I know I am no match for your powers. And yet…”

The strangers spread his arms wide in the air.

“Here I am,” he said. “So, what will it be, old man? Will you help me?”

Gil became silent again. He felt a bit angry at this stranger, mostly due to his cocky nature and the way he seemed to know so much about him somehow, but not just when it came to his history. The stranger was right, as much as Gil didn’t want to admit it. He really did feel lonely, and the way the stranger spoke about it sent a strange sadness into him. Gil gave out a short sigh, and for the first time in a while, he decided against his usual best interests.

“You talk much don’t you?” he began. “Fine. You win.”

The stranger chuckled.

“That wasn’t so hard was it?” he asked.

“Yeah, yeah,” Gil replied. “So what do you want?”

The stranger became quiet like he felt uncomfortable answering that question. He put his hand on his hood and pulled it off finally revealing his face. From what Gil could discern with his weakening eyesight, he looked for the most part like he was a normal looking man in his thirties with a trimmed beard and clear blue eyes, but there seemed to also be something strange coming out of his head, which the growing fog and Gil’s weakening eyesight made it hard to discern what it was. What it seemed to resemble though, was that it looked like the man a pair of hairy tentacles coming out his head. Then, the stranger said:

“I want to become your apprentice.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is perhaps the fastest update I have ever made.
> 
> Anyways, here is the first interlude of the Shattering. I have been looking forward to writing this part for a long time. Now how it actually relates to the main story, I ain't telling. It will become clear later, but in the meantime, you may theorize what the deal is with this weird old man and his companions. And what is up with that stranger in the end (assuming the implication I made wasn't obvious enough).
> 
> As for the main story, the next chapter will obviously be the Snowdin forest, no major spoilers there I hope. We'll also meet a bunch of popular characters, and there are one or two surprises I have planned there. But unfortunately, yet again, you'll have to wait a while. Many of you that follow me may have noticed that I am "rebooting" the politics bear story, which will be the main reason for the delay. The first chapter won't be that different however, it's just that it's been so long since I've made updates to it that I thought I might as well just call it a reboot at this point. So that's another story you can look forward to, and I will work on that as soon as I can.  
> I am also still working on my original short story, which I'll try to finish before the spring break is over. 
> 
> So until then, I'll see you next time.


	11. The Forest Part 1

**Chapter 2: The Forest - Part 1**

  
  
  


As the cool air touched her cheeks and the heavy snow filled her autumn-boots with each step, it just dawned on Frisk that she had never been in such a snowy place her entire life. Every tree, every rock, every breeze in the air seemed to just scream winter, or at least what Frisk imagined winter used to look like in her world many decades ago. To her, this forest and air felt incredibly enchanting and unreal, and these things mixed with the distant cavern roof above with glowing gems looking like stars made the place feel incredibly wast and open. It was no longer a cavern at this point, but rather a whole new world. 

On the other hand though, with its vastness came the fear of the unknown, and like in the old city in the ruins, Frisk felt like there were eyes at every corner, and inside every dark place looking back at her. It, strangely enough, made her feel more dread than the claustrophobic hallways, as in those she at least knew all possible exists and vantage points. This time she wasn’t alone though, and she was very happy about it.

“You, uh, remember this place Flowey?” she asked, mostly to break the eerie silence.

Flowey didn’t answer, but Frisk knew he was still there as she felt him stirring in her backpack. He was stirring unusually much.

“Uhh, Flowey?” she asked. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, n-nothing,” Flowey said, trembling. “Just, uh, freezing my stems off over here. Gods, I always hated this place. The cold is unbearable for a flower like me-no  _ especially _ for a flower like me! We are summer creatures for crying out loud. Made for heat and water, not this meddlesome cold and ice! Ever see a sunflower growing in the winter? Hmm? Of course not!”

“Wait are you gonna die?” Frisk asked, feeling a bit worried.

“Obviously not,” Flowey said. “If I was weak enough to wither in this breeze, I never would have asked you to take me with you out of here. Thankfully, I am not just an ordinary sunflower, far from it in fact. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I am going to close myself off from the world for a while.”

“Wait what are you-”

But before Frisk could finish her question, she was immediately answered by the sound of the flower rumbling and a zipper closing in her bag. Then he stopped.

“ _ Ahh, that’s a bit better _ ,” said a muffled voice in her bag. “ _ Still not perfect though. Still just a tiny bit of breeze in here though, and dark. But hey, better to be in complete darkness than in complete… uh, coldness or whatever it’s called. But anyway Frisk, if you’re lost and need me, then just shake the bag or pull me out or something. The cold here is not much, but it will most likely keep me from sleeping either way. _ ”

“Alright, I’ll keep those things in mind,” replied Frisk.

“ _ What? _ ” Flowey asked. “ _ Can you speak a bit louder? Didn’t hear a single bit of what you just said _ .”

“Forget it,” Frisk said to herself.

The road ahead of her was distinctly carved out, so not only was it hard to lose your way, but it also signified that this underground forest wasn’t completely abandoned. Once Frisk realized that she just felt worse. Even though she knew that death was not final for her, the mystery and fear of the unknown still got to her. 

Then she stopped in her tracks as she noticed that there was something unusual on the road. It was hard to spot normally, but since there was not much going on around at the moment, Frisk noticed it as soon as she looked down.

“What the hell?” she muttered to herself.

There were strange, small footprints on the road. At first, Frisk thought that these were her footprints signifying that she was going in circles. Feeling a bit nervous at this thought, Frisk put her foot on top of one print to test this theory. Fortunately for her, the footprints didn’t match her size, proving to be much smaller, likely belonging to a young kid or someone with dwarfism. But then she looked closer at the footprints and realized they were fairly recent. A tinge of dread filled her insides.

“Ok, that’s not good,” she whispered to herself.

Frisk continued her walk down the road. After a few more meters, she noticed that the strange footprints seemed to curve a bit. She stopped and examined their path and saw that they now curved outward from the road and led to somewhere far into the forest. 

She looked back down the road ahead and saw that it ended on a large, wooden fence. Next, she looked at the beaten path and saw it lead into the depths of the forest. Now despite her growing worry, her curiosity also grew, and Frisk felt an urge to at least check. Then, even knowing how dangerous it could be, Frisk couldn’t resist her curiosity and headed off the path. 

“What’s the worst that can happen?” Frisk said to herself, as she trudged through the thick snow. “Well, I could die for one. Not that it matters anyway. Yeah… still not used to that fact.”

The outward path grew thicker and thicker with snow, making hard for her to navigate. With every step, Frisk could feel the snow fill her boots and wet her socks and jeans. After a while, she stopped, ankled deep in snow and feeling tired from the effort.

“Fuck it,” she said to herself. “Not worth getting lost over.”

But before she turned around, she noticed something in a bush ahead beside one tree. The footprints led to it, and there was clearly something inside. Some sort of weird shape. Frisk could once again not resist her curiosity now and continued to follow the prints. As Frisk closed in on the bush, the first thing she noticed was the terrible smell that grew all of a sudden. It smelled like something, or someone was rotting. 

Frisk didn’t think much of it, at first. Then she saw the strange thing in the bush much clearer, and her mind went immediately into dark places. It seemed to resemble a figure wearing piles of dirty clothes.

_ Is that… what I think it is? _ Frisk thought.

Frisk felt she had to know. She was frightened, of course, but she felt she had to know if her mind was right. So she crept closer, and closer, till she was right above the bush. Then she looked inside and gasped.

“Oh my god!” she cried and backed a few steps away in shock.

There was a skeleton in the bush. A human skeleton, no doubt, about the size of a young child. It wore a blue winter jacket with a grey hood and a plain white t-shirt underneath, visible since the jacket was open. It also wore black, short sport jeans and grey slippers. The bones were unusually thick, and the rib cage swelled outward suggesting that in life, the owner of it used to be fat.

“ _ What’s going on out there Frisk?! _ ” Flowey yelled from the bag, having heard her shocked cries.

“Th-there's a dead body here!” Frisk said. “A human kid I think!”

“ _ What?! Are you sure?! _ ”

“Yeah!” Frisk confirmed. “It certainly looks like one! I mean, monster’s turn to dust when they die right?! Or at least, that’s how I seem to understand it. Do they even have skeletons?!”

“ _ Well, sort of! They don’t really work or look exactly like human ones do though! Plus, the bones dissolve once they are no longer in the body! Just like all the other things inside of them do! _ ”

“Oh, it’s definitely a human then!” Frisk said, feeling a lot more uncomfortable now. “God, poor kid.”

“ _ Any idea what caused it?! _ ”

“No clue! I’m not really a forensic expert or anything! I can tell though that he or she’s been dead a long time, obviously since they are a skeleton, and judging by the smell…  _ ugh _ ... they seem to be still rotting! But… that makes no sense! The footsteps leading to it were fairly recent! If they’ve been dead a long time, then- wait! What the hell?!”

“ _ What is it, Frisk?! _ ” Flowey asked.  _ “They’re not standing up or anything, right?! _ ”

“There’s… something weird about the eyes!” Frisk stated.  “Or eye sockets rather! Don’t know why I didn’t notice it until now, but it’s like they are… closed!”

“ _ Closed?! _ ” 

“Yeah, it’s kind of hard to explain!” Frisk said. “I’m gonna take a better look!”

She crept closer to the body, trying to get a better understanding of this strange thing. As she did, she noticed another strange thing about the body. It was like it was moving up and down similar to a person breathing in their sleep. Frisk ignored it, assuming it was simply the soft wind. 

Then she came closer and could finally see clearly what the things on the eye sockets were like. They seemed to resemble something eerily familiar.

“Hang on,” Frisk said to herself. “Are these… eyelids-”

On exactly the moment before she could finish her sentence, something happened. It took Frisk a few moments process what exactly what was happening, and even then she wasn’t sure what it was.

First, the skeleton suddenly began rumbling. Then there came a loud, yet strange noise from deep within it, sounding incredible like groaning. It was enough to make Frisk freeze in her steps. This strange movement of the body made it seem like it was a living being, and the human girl stared at the entire event in confusion and fear. Then, just as abruptly as it began, the body seized all movements and became almost still again.

“The shit was that!” Fris said.

Then the skeleton opened its “eyelids”.

“Gah!” Frisk cried in surprise.

The shock hit her like a truck, so much so that she lost her balance and fell back first onto a thick pile of snow. The flower in her backpack took immediate notice of it since the fall nearly crushed him.

“ _ What the heck Frisk?! _ ” he yelled. “ _ Are you trying to kill me back there?! Frisk?! Frisk? _ ”

Frisk didn’t even notice the flowers whines and complains, as she stared at the skeleton. It was beginning to stand up. 

“What the fuck!” Frisk yelled. “WHAT THE FUCK!”

“ _ Frisk?! What the hecks happening- _ ”

And without hesitation, she began to run. She waded clumsily through the piles of snow as best and as quickly as she could. The weight of the snow was immense, much more than any snow or winter Frisk had ever experienced, and it caused her to occasionally stumble, but she always managed to push herself back on her feet.

“ _ Frisk, what’s going on- _ ” 

“The thing’s alive!” Frisk said immediately. “The thing is fucking alive!”

Just before she reached the road, she turned her head around just to peek and saw the skeleton standing upwards, with snow falling off and out of it. It stared at her with pitch black eye sockets that looked like they had no bottom.

Then before she could turn around, Frisk found herself falling. She whined again as she felt herself fall onto solid snow.

“Gah, fuck,” the winced.

Frisk looked up and saw that she was back on the road. Then without even thinking about it, she stood up and began to run towards the fence. The wooden fence grew taller and taller ahead, and Frisk now saw that there was a gate where the road led. Whether it was open or not, Frisk didn’t care at the moment. She was just gonna smash through it if possible. 

As she closed in on the fence, she glanced behind and saw the living skeleton in the distance just about reaching the road, and it looked at her. To Frisk, there was no doubt about it now. It was after her. 

Frisk turned back to face the road and saw that the gate was just a few steps away, and at that moment, she braced and positioned herself to burst through. But even with all the strength she had managed to muster at the last moment, the fence proved stronger, causing her to just hurt herself as she clumsily smashed into the wood it like it was a solid, stone wall. 

“Oh, fuck!” she winced. 

In her panic state, the next thing she did was to try to pull or push the fence gate open. It was locked, as she suspected, and so it proved useless. Frisk backed away a bit, panicking to find a way through like when she was trapped by the hole in the ruins.

“Shit, shit, shit!” she said. “Maybe, I could uh, climb up. Yeah, that’ll work. Let’s try that-”

Frisk froze completely in her tracks after she had backed a bit and felt her backpack bump into something behind her. The air was also suddenly filled with the same, disgusting odour of the skeletal corpse.

_ Oh my fucking god, the thing is right behind me _ , she thought.  _ How the hell is it behind me? I was like half a mile away. _

She heard heavy breathing behind her, so there was now no doubt it was a living thing. 

“Buddy…” said a calming male voice.

_ Holy shit, it talks _ , Frisk thought.  _ How the fuck does it talk? _

There came a short chuckle from the male voice behind her.

“Is that how you greet a new friend?” it asked. “Why won’t you turn around and shake my hand?”

Frisk stared at the gate, not daring to look behind her. She didn’t know what to do, what the thing behind her was, or even what it wanted. All she knew was that she was trapped between a gate and a weird, inhuman thing. There was only one way out of this, she thought.

She slowly pulled the knife from her pocket.

“Buddy?” the skeleton asked.

Frisk took a deep breath, put on a confident face, and turned herself around in a complete half-circle. As she suspected, the skeleton of the small figure was standing right there behind her, wearing the same clothes and the emptiness in the eyes seemed to have a slight, white glint in them like a distant star. Somehow, despite having no muscles, he managed to have a somewhat surprised expression on the skull.

“Get back!” Frisk commanded, pointing the knife down at him.

“Woah, Woah, Woah,” the skeleton said with his arms in the air.

“Get the FUCK back!” 

“Geez kiddo, you speak to your mother with a tongue like that?” the skeleton said casually.

The grin on its dead face now seemed unusually wide for a skeleton. Frisk didn’t care much for it. She just stood there, pointing her knife down at him with both hands. 

_ How the hell is this thing even alive? _ Frisk thought.

“Just what the hell are you and what do you want?!” she asked.

“Well if you’ll just put your knife away and calm down then I’ll explain it to you ok?” the skeleton answered with the same, casual tone. “I mean, I know you're scared but if you think that’s bad then geez, look at me. You made me  _ literally jump out of my skin _ .”

At that moment, Frisk fear began to wane, and be replaced mostly by utter bewilderment.

“Wh-what…?” she asked. “Wha-what are you talking about?”

The skeleton put his arms down, and his face shifted into an expression that said: “ _ Really? _ ”.

“It was a joke, kiddo,” he said. “Y’know, because I am a skeleton? I have no skin and… eh, it kind of ruins it when you have to explain. It wasn’t that good either, to be honest. It needed a bit more of a… more of a  _ backbone into it eh? _ ”

Frisk didn’t laugh. Just looked at him unamused with her knife still pointed at him.

_ Why the hell is he just making terrible jokes _ , she thought.

“ _ Ok, just what in the angel's name is going on out there, and who are you talking to?! _ ” Flowey yelled from the bag. “ _ Screw it! I’m coming out! _ ”

Frisk heard the sound of zippers being open in her bag, and Flowey peeked out, shivering slightly.

“Now just who the heck are… are… you?”

Something made Flowey stop in his words, and that something was the skeleton in front of them. It wasn’t fear that filled up in him, but rather confusion, and he stared at the skeleton like he was trying to figure out what in the world it was. Similarly, the short skeleton seemed to have taken a similar interest in Flowey.

“Frisk, who is that?” Flowey asked.

“How would I know?” she asked without moving her eyes from the living corpse.

“Hey you look familiar,” the skeleton said, eyeing the flower. “Haven’t I seen you somewhere before? Like, at a bar or something?”

Frisk didn’t see it, but at that moment, Flowey’s eyes lit up like a Christmas ornament as a memory struck him. But as soon as it faded, his expression turned into one of disappointment and annoyance.

“Crap, it’s you,” he said.

“Oh yeah,” the skeleton said with the same tone of remembrance. “You’re the talking flower that harassed my brother all those years ago. I had almost completely forgotten you.”

“Same here,” Flowey said bitterly as if he wished he had done that.

“Uh, Flowey?” Frisk began, who felt completely out of the loop. “You uh, know this guy.”

“Yeah, that’s just Sans,” Flowey said. “The local comedian. Or as I like to call him,  _ Mister Smiley Trashbag _ .”

“Heh, nice to see you too,” replied Sans with a tone that said: “ _ Is that the best insult you got? _ ”.

Flowey sighed.

“It’s alright Frisk, you can put your knife down,” he said. “This guy is a pain, but he won’t hurt you. Not his style.”

“Well, at least you have some sense.”

With that said Frisk reluctantly put the red knife back in her pocket. Even though Flowey assured her he wasn’t dangerous, she couldn’t find herself to completely trust him.

“Now that’s better,” the skeleton said, his expression not changing in the slightest.

“What do you want?” Frisk asked without hesitation.

“Oh nothing,” Sans replied. “Nothing at all. Or at least, nothing from you at least. In fact, I would like perhaps a nice bed, a good tv, and perhaps some snacks if I can.”

“Right…”

Since so many weird things had happened to her in just a span of a day, Frisk didn’t bother thinking about why a skeleton wanted snacks in the first place. 

“Hey, you’re a human aren’t you?” he suddenly asked.

As soon as he asked that, all of Frisk’s suspicions and distrust came boiling back up. 

“Now how do you know that?” Flowey asked. “I thought most monsters had forgotten what a human really looks like.”

The skeleton shrugged.

“I’ve read a book or two,” he answered. “Or rather, just looked at some pictures from a book or two about humans. Besides, not many monsters come down this road. Not after The Royal Hunt put up this fence here at least.”

Frisk backed away a few steps from him and began to slowly back for her knife.

“Woah, Woah, kiddo,” Sans said immediately. “You think I am gonna hurt you just because I know you are human? Geez. I’ve only known you for a few minutes and already you think so little of me.”

Frisk stood still, with her palm stretching for the handle. She turned her head towards Flowey to see what he thought.

“Don’t,” he stated. “He’s not gonna hurt you. He has no interest in hurting humans in fact, and even though I’d like to see you stab him in his smug face, making an enemy of him and his family is not worth it. Trust me.”

_ His family _ ? Frisk thought nervously. 

Even though she was still a bit uneasy by the skeleton, she decided to take the flowers word again and put her hand away from the knife.

“Hey, looks like I underestimated  _ you _ , flower” the skeleton said in a gleeful tone. “Looks like you have actually more sense in you than I thought.  _ Twice _ as many in fact.”

Then using one of his weird, bony eyelids, Sans blinked, and Frisk thought that slightly disturbing.

“Making it two senses,” he continued.

Flowey sighed as if he expected a joke of this calibre. Frisk, on the other hand, felt a bit confused, until she noticed the punchline and chuckled a bit. She felt it was perhaps the most she had chuckled or even laughed in a while.

“Woah is that a smile I see?” Sans asked sarcastically. “Good job kiddo. Continue this up and you might learn to laugh a bit.”

“Ok, now you’re just being an asshole,” Frisk said bluntly.

Sans became stared at her quietly for a while as if he was thinking something and then he gave a simple shrug.

“Yeah didn’t think this joke through,” he said. “Sorry about that. Would promise to not make such jokes again but eh, never been good with promises.”

“Nah it’s ok,” Frisk said. “I was kind of joking too. I’ve… never been good with jokes.”

“Frisk, can we get the hell out of here now?” Flowey asked impatiently. “Please?”

“Right,” Frisk said. “So it was nice to meet you and all, but uh we kind of wanna continue on our own right now.”

“Really, but we just met,” Sans said.

“Alright, mister-” 

“I was just joking kiddo,” Sans said, interrupting her. “I’ll just go back to my spot. You seem to be sure that you can handle this on your own so... See you around kiddo.”

“Yeah, see you too.”

With that said, the skeleton turned around and began to walk away. After he had gone far enough, Frisk turned back to Flowey.

“You don’t like this guy eh?” she asked him.

“Are you surprised?” Flowey replied. “Tell me you didn’t feel one bit annoyed by him?”

“Nah, he seems alright,” Frisk said.

"Really?” Flowey asked in surprise. “Not even after he made fun of you? Well, let's agree to disagree then."

“Hey, you said something about his family earlier,” Frisk began, changing the subject a bit. “About how it was not a good idea to make an enemy of them. Why, is he like a… mobster or something?”

“Nah, he’s nothing like that,” Flowey said. “It’s just that… ah, it’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.”

“Alright then.”

Frisk turned around to face the tall wooden gate. Up close, the tallness of it looked a bit intimidating. She tried the knob but as she suspected, it was shut tight.

“You don’t uh, have a chance to know of any ways through this gate thingy right Flowey?” she asked.

“Don’t ask me,” he said. “I’m about as stumped as you.” 

“Great.”

“I may not know of any proper ways,” Sans said behind them. “But I do have an idea.”

Frisk turned back around once more, feeling utter shock and surprise.

“Jesus, I thought you were gone!” she said. 

“Are you just gonna keep sneaking in on people like that?!” Flowey said.

“Well I decided to come back here to watch your progress a bit,” Sans said casually. 

_ Well, that sounds a bit stalker-ish _ , Frisk thought.

"Looks like you need some help," the skeleton added.

Frisk didn’t think much through his sudden appearance since he pulled a stunt like that earlier. She just assumed it was something he was just able to do. Either way, she felt a bit desperate for any ideas at this point, so she decided to bite.

“Alright then,” Frisk said. “What do you have in mind? With getting through this gate I mean.”

The skeleton grinned seemed to widen a bit.

“Watch,” he said simply.

He walked towards Frisk and reached up towards her shoulders with one of his bony hands and Frisk felt him eerily resemble a little kid looking up to an older guardian. 

“Now hold still,” the skeleton said. “Or you might get sick.”

“Wait what are y-”

It was as if time itself had blinked at that moment, for Frisk found herself suddenly facing the gate, even though she not only had her back to it just a second ago but also she didn’t move one bit. Or that was what she thought she was looking at first. It took her a while to notice it though since much of the trees and areas looked so similar, but then she looked around in bewilderment and realized she was actually now standing on the other side of the gate.

“Wha-what just happened?” Frisk asked in confusion. 

She heard Flowey cough immensely behind her.

“Gah, please warn me before you do that again!” he said angrily.

“Wait, did you just teleport us?” Frisk asked.

“Nah that wasn’t a teleport,” Sans answered. “I just… squeezed ourselves through the fence super fast.”

“Really?” Frisk asked.

“Of course not,” replied the skeleton. “It was teleport obviously.”

Frisk looked at him with a puzzled look.

_ I think I’m never gonna get this guy _ , she thought.

“Thanks,” Frisk said. “But why?”

“Well, it’s a lot better and faster than climbing over ain't it?” replied Sans.

“I meant why did you help us?”

The skeleton shrugged.

“Why not?” he answered. “You were in need and I helped you. Think of it as a charity.” 

Frisk didn’t really buy his words, and she was sure Flowey didn’t either. She felt like he had some other, hidden agenda. But he helped them either way so she didn’t really care much about his true motives at the moment.

“Ok then,” Frisk said. “Well, either way, thanks for your help. Sans wasn’t it?”

“Yep that’s me,” he answered. “Sans the skeleton.

“Well, Sans, I think we’ll be going now,” Frisk said. “Oh and I forgot to mention earlier but sorry about that whole… knife thing.”

“Eh that’s fine kiddo,” Sans said, “Already made up.”

“Ok, thanks for that,” Frisk said. “Now as I said, I’ll guess I’ll see you around.”

“You too, kiddo,” the skeleton replied and made another wink. “Even though you’re a human, I’ll promise to keep an eye socket out for any dangers coming your way. But like I said before, I’m not good with promises.”

“Alright then,” Frisk said softly. 

With that said, she turned towards the road and continued down the path, and Flowey gave a sigh of relief. But it was only after taking a few steps that the skeleton suddenly called after her.

“Hey kiddo,” he said.

Frisk turned back around and could hear the flower give a subtle, but clearly frustrated sigh.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I was wondering if you could maybe do something for me,” he began. “Since, y’ know, I helped you after all. Now it is not much. Like you don’t have to carry any boxes for me or anything. In fact, you don’t really need to do anything when you get down to it.”

Frisk felt like she had expected something like this and gave out a short sigh.

_ Of course he wants some payment in return for helping, _ she thought.  _ Thought as much. Well, let’s see what it is at least _ .

“Ok, what do you want?” she asked.

“Just getting right to it eh?” Sans began. “Very well, so here is the thing. My brother, Papyrus, has been feeling very down lately. He’s been feeling down for a long time actually. Like years. But it has gotten worse these past few months. Ever since I took and hid away all his… uh… stuff that he used. Mostly because he became addicted to it and so kept spending all our monthly allowance on it, and once I gave him the talk, he just kept buying and using it in secret.”

He gave out a short sigh as if to say: “ _ how far you have fallen _ ”.

“But my brother has never seen a human before,” he continued. “He also makes no secret that he really wants to. Many monsters do in fact, but especially him. So I was wondering if maybe before you continue on your quest, you could perhaps stay a bit while I give a call and then my brother comes running over to say hi.”

“So in other words, you want me to just hang around here for a while?” Frisk asked. 

“Yeah, something like that,” answered Sans.

Frisk thought about it for a few seconds. This felt a bit suspicious, but Flowey had been very adamant so far about him being unharmful, despite his clear annoyance at him. Then she shrugged and said:

“Sure I can do that.”

Suddenly, Flowey began to stir immensely in her backpack. It was perhaps the most stirring he had ever done so far.

"Uhhh, Frisk?" Flowey said awkwardly. "I think I just um, remembered something. Y’ know what? Just ignore everything I just said about him, I take it all back. That skeleton is actually super dangerous and untrustworthy. Oh, and he's also one of the most powerful beings down here, so I suggest that if we simply run away right now, we'll-"

“You’re a shit liar you know,” Frisk said, looking straight at his face. 

Flowey stopped in his words and looked at the girl with an expression that was half frown, half disappointment.

“Was it that obvious?” he asked.

"I mean… yeah," Frisk replied. "You went on and on about how harmless this dude is while also being less than subtle on your annoyance, and now that he's offering to hang out with him a bit you suddenly began to contradict everything-"

"Yeah, I know what happened these last few minutes, I don't need a recap," Flowey said bitterly.

"Ok look, I kinda wanna do this," Frisk said. "I'm just really curious about this world and people, and if it makes up someones say in the meantime then what's the catch?"

"I just want to… get out of here as fast as we can, alright?" Flowey said.

“C’ mon, it’ll just take a moment!” Frisk said. “Can’t we just do this one nice thing? Please? I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Flowey didn’t answer. Just looked away from her with a full frown on his face like an upset child.

“If you can’t bear it so much then why don't you go back in the bag for that moment?” Frisk asked.

Suddenly, a realization dawned on her.

“Hang on,” she began. “You’ve been out of the bag for a while now. I thought you couldn’t stand the cold.”

Flowey’s frowned turned into an expression of worry. Worry of that of feeling caught in a lie.

“I… uhh…” he began.

“Wait, were you actually… scared?” Frisk asked. 

She smiled as that thought came to her. That smile then turned into a chuckle, which then turned into a small laugh. It was not a laugh of mock or amusement, although she felt some of it, but rather a laugh of surprise, although the flower clearly didn’t take it that way.

“Hey, that’s not funny!” Flowey said angrily. “Stop laughing!”

“I wasn’t laughing at you,” Frisk said smiling.

“Hey if you two wanna sort some things out between you two then we can just do this thing later ok?” said Sans, who was still standing there.

Frisk looked back at the skeleton and Flowey followed suit. In her bickering with the flower, she had almost completely forgotten him."

“Oh uh, yeah we are totally ready to do this thing,” Frisk said. “Right Flowey?”

“Ugh, yeah,” he said begrudgingly.

“Ok good,” the skeleton said.

The skeleton then reached into his jacket and pulled out an old looking smartphone. 

_ Wow, that phone looks ancient _ , Frisk thought.  _ Not as old as the one that the old man had, but still. Is everything down here just over a hundred years old or something? _

Sans then began to type in some numbers with his bony fingers and Frisk wondered how he could use a touchscreen without fingerprints since that was always how she assumed those phones worked.

Then he put the phone up to his ear, or rather where his ear would be located, and began to speak softly into it.

"Hey Pappy, it's me," Frisk heard him say. "Oh did I wake you? Sorry. The time zones here are weird…"

"I still think this is a dumb idea," whispered Flowey.

"Yeah yeah," Frisk whispered back.

"...hey so I got something for you," Sans continued in the phone. "It’s a little surprise, something I'm sure will brighten up your day. What? No, it's not a herb or anything of the sort. But it is something alright. Heh, it is something. Oh, I'm at the gate, in the forest. Set up by… you know who…"

"Gods he is still talking," Flowey whispered.

"Yeah, no shit," Frisk whispered back.

"...so are you coming? Really? Oh, that’s good to hear. Good that you've finally decided to leave your closet for a bit eh? Yeah, I know you're not literally in a closet. Yeah, I know that we sold it a while back. Anyways, it's good that you're making progress either way and I look forward to showing you the surprise. Uh-huh. Aha. I know. I love you too bro. Goodbye."

At long last, the skeleton turned off his phone and put it back in his jacket.

"Good news," he said. "My bro says he's up to it and is heading his way here right now."

"Yeah we figured that much," Frisk said.

"Good."

And so the trio turned quiet as they waited. For a while. Frisk and the skeleton just stood there in the exact same spot as if they were rooted in them. In this silence between them, the only sound Frisk heard was a soft gush of wind and her occasional exasperated breaths.

The skeleton, on the other hand, seemed unnaturally quiet and still, and would've been easily mistaken for a standing corpse that was held up by invisible strings.

"How long is this gonna take?" Frisk asked, beginning to feel impatient.

"Don’t worry, he’s fast," Sans stated. "Very fast indeed."

"Alright then."

A few moments passed, and the silence returned. Still, they waited. Flowey was now shaking immensely, either due to fear, cold or both, and so he wordlessly let himself sink back into the backpack. Frisk then heard the zipper of the backpack run closed.

“He’s probably gonna be a while,” Sans said, breaking the silence. "Must be out of shape or something."

Frisk tapped her foot on the snow and shivered as the cold was finally getting to her. Her current clothing was clearly not made for winter.

"I have a place not far from here," the skeleton said. "It’s not really a house or anything. More of a… campsite than anything. Used to work there for a stand before it went out of business. Should we wait there perhaps? I'm sure the fireplace still works."

"Did you just say a fireplace?" Frisk asked. "If you did then I’m definitely sold."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the first part of the second chapter. The forest chapter as I call it because it... takes place in a forest. Yeah not the most original title, but hey neither is "The Ruins". It'll be the shortest chapter so far, or at least the one with the fewest parts.
> 
> As for the part, it's self? I think this is perhaps the most humerus (heh) part I have written so far. I thought it was fitting because we are finally introduced to Sans Undertale himself. Took a while for him to show up in this AU (unless you've read the prequel story where he is one of the two POV characters). 
> 
> Here comes the bad news though. After the next part or the one after, I will, once again, be taking a short break. I don't know how long it'll be, but I'll try to be done with not only the chapter till then, but also the upcoming "reboot" of the politics bear story. That one won't not a big story mind you, or even that long. It's just an idea I thought of and wanted to explore.
> 
> But until then, hope you enjoy the story and more is coming soon.


	12. The Forest Part 2

**The Forest Part 2**

  
  


The campsite didn’t prove to be much of a campsite in the end. Frisk assumed that it was perhaps much better in its heyday, but now there were only two wooden houses, one which was so torn down, with no roof and had so many holes in the walls and floor that it could perhaps no longer be considered a house by definition. In one place, there was a pile of planks with some of them standing upright in the snow, and Frisk could only surmise that this was once a shack that used to keep tools and such. 

As for the fireplace itself, whatever wood was left in it was either dry or completely covered in snow, but Frisk managed to light a little flame from it based on her minuscule memory of her time at summer camp. It was very little, and not very warm, but Frisk was content with whatever she could get at this point.

She sat on a small boulder in front of the fireplace, while Sans sat opposite her on a bench so small it obviously made for kids, but since he was so short he fitted almost perfectly. 

“Yeah it’s not much,” Frisk said, staring at the fire. “But it’s the best I got.”

“Eh it’s fine,” Sans said. “Us skeletons aren’t really bothered by heat or cold anyways since we don’t have any skin that is.”

“Well that makes sense,” Frisk said.

She turned to Flowey, who sat in the pink backpack which was now placed down beside her.

“What do you think Flowey?” she asked him. “Is this fire good enough for you?”

“Define good enough,” the flower said. “Because if to you it means sitting by the most minuscule amount of heat possible while sitting opposite the most annoying creature in the underground, then yeah maybe.”

“Looks like someone has a cold shoulder,” Sans said.

Frisk snickered a bit while Flowey just rolled his eyes. She didn’t really find the joke funny or even that clever, but rather it was the delivery and cheapness of it that she couldn’t help but feel slightly amused.

“Well, at least there is someone around to laugh at my hilarious jokes,” Sans said.

“Yeah,” Frisk said. “So anyway, uhh what’s your brother like?”

"Slightly better," Flowey said.

“Well I might be biased, but I think he’s cool,” Sans answered, not giving Flowey any heed. “He’s also kind-hearted with an… well, let's say an average sense of humour. Also kind of an introvert these days and he doesn’t really get out of the house anymore much unless it’s something important. If I had to describe him in word, it would perhaps be ‘chill’. No pun intended.”

“Well thanks for that disclaimer,” Flowey said. “Can never tell with you.”

Sans smiled a cocky smile.

“Hard to believe it,” he continued. “But he used to be much more social and crafty just a few years ago. My brother that is. He even made his own armour. Said it was for a costume party he was suddenly reminded of, which was strange since there was no such party being held anywhere near us, and we were especially not invited to any such party or even any party in general. Once I asked him about it, he later claimed that he had actually dreamt it. But since he was clearly having fun making it, I didn’t think it necessary to stop him. Nowadays, this armour is basically just gathering dust in his basement, alongside a bunch of his other things.”

“So what happened?” Frisk asked.

Sans took on a dark expression as if an awful memory resurfaced. Even though she had no idea what it was, Frisk knew that look very well.

“Sorry,” she said. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“Yeah, let’s talk about something else now ok?” Sans said.

“Either way, I can’t wait to meet him.”

“Good. I can promise you won’t be disappointed.”

Frisk looked around the campsite, not really taking any of it in as she was thinking about all that had happened in just the past day. It was still hard for her to believe that all this was really happening. After a moment of pondering, Frisk was suddenly reminded of a question she wanted to ask the skeleton ever since he first spoke to her.

“Hey if you don’t mind me asking,” she began. “But um… how did you die?”

Sans, who was looking away prior to the question went and stared straight at her in a way as if she suddenly grew four arms.

“Uhh what?” he asked, sounding confused.

“Oh forget about it,” Frisk said. “Shouldn’t have asked. I’m sure it’s a sensitive topic for you.”

“Uhh, it’s more weird than sensitive,” Sans began. “Because unless this is some boring afterlife, I’m pretty sure I’m alive. I think. To be honest, I haven’t checked in a while. But seriously though, do I really look like a dead person to you?”

Frisk chuckled a bit, then stopped once she realized that he wasn’t being sarcastic.

“Are you serious?” she asked. “You don’t know.”

“Know what?” Sans asked with no hint of jest in his voice.

He turned towards Flowey, who was smiling in amusement. For the first time in a long, long time, Sans felt himself to be utterly baffled by someone.

“Pothead, you know anything about what’s she’s on about?” he asked him.

“Yeah I do,” Flowey said. “But I ain't telling ‘cause this is hilarious.

“I… don’t know how to break this to you,” Frisk began with sorrow in her tone. “But… you being nothing but a skeleton is uhh, it’s not normal.”

“Sounds pretty normal to me,” Sans said. 

Now Frisk was the one who felt confused.

“This isn’t strange to you?” she asked him. ”You have no skin, no organs. You are practically a walking corpse, and where I’m from, that means dead.”

“Ah, I see,” Sans said with a tone of realization. “Look kiddo, I think you are the one who is misunderstanding this situation.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You see I’ve always been a skeleton.”

“What?!”

“Since birth.”

Frisk stared at him for a good few moments. A moment later she chuckled. But she stopped once she saw he wasn’t joking about this either.

“Wait, are you… saying that you died at birth or something?” Frisk asked.

“No, I was born a skeleton,” Sans said. “Me and my brother. We were both born as skeletons. In fact, our mother was a skeleton as well. As is our dad. And our granddads and grandmothers”

Frisk looked at him, now feeling utterly baffled. She didn’t know whether he was serious and confused, or if it was some sort of an elaborate joke on his part. It was like he was a walking enigma.

“What?” she said. “Wha- what are you-”

“I’m a  _ monster, _ kiddo,” Sans said. “ _ A skeleton monster _ . Not a literal skeleton.”

Frisk stared at him, slightly more confused than ever before. Then the realization hit her like a boulder, and she felt like a complete idiot.

“Oh!” she said loudly. “Oh! Oh god, I am so sorry for that I… Jesus Christ I am such an idiot!”

“Nah it’s fine,” Sans said and chuckled. “It’s fine. You didn’t know any better but now you do. That’s what dad always used to say to me.”

Suddenly, Frisk heard something sort of unexpected. Not only that, but Sans was seemed somewhat surprised by it as well. The sound came from Flowey. He was laughing.

“You knew about this?” Frisk asked him. 

“Of course I did!” he said admits smiles and laughter. “But gods. Seeing you make a fool of yourself was so worth it!”

“Ok, we are now even from me laughing at you back there,” Frisk said.

“Eh, fat chance,” Flowey said and smiled.

Frisk turned back towards Sans, and she felt like there were now plenty of more questions on her mind.

“Wait so if your entire species, or monster type or whatever, is like you then how do you work?” Frisk asked him. “Like why do you resemble human skeletons so much?”

“Ehh, not about that myself actually?” Sans said. “Then again, I don’t expect you to know everything about how humans work just because you are one yourself.”

“Oh, that’s a good point,” Frisk said. “But you have to know something. Like, how the hell does your kind reproduce if you don’t have any organs and such.”

“Heh, you’re not the first person to ponder that,” Sans answered. “Many people believe that it’s some sort of complicated ritual or magic. But actually, the answer is surprisingly simple. You see, when a skeleton-”

At that moment, there came a weird sound from Sans’ pocket that barely lasted a second. It sounded strangely enough like a ‘ding’ noise a microwave makes.

“Oh, that’s my phone,” Sans said. “Must be Papyrus. Funny, I was starting to wonder why he was taking so long.”

With that said, Sans reached into his pocket and pulled out a plain, old school looking black flip phone and looked at the screen. He stared at it for a few good moments, and then the expression on his skull seemed to frown in subtle displeasure. 

“Well that’s a shame,” he said, sounding mildly disappointed.

“What is it?” Frisk asked.

“It looks like he’s not coming after all,” Sans said and put the phone back into his pocket. “Claims he’s not feeling up to it anymore.”

“Oh, ok,” Frisk said, feeling a bit let down as well. “That’s too bad. Kind of was excited to meet him.”

“Yeah,” Sans said. “But eh. Anything can happen, that’s life. If my brother is not in the mood then I don’t wanna force him.”

He looked at Frisk as if an idea suddenly popped up in his head.

“Of course,” he began and his grin widened. “I could always shortcut you straight to my place and surprise him there.”

Frisk felt a sudden surge of suspicion in her chest after he said that.

“Uhh, thanks but I think we’re good,” she said, feeling a bit uneasy.

Sans looked at her, a bit surprised by her answer, but then he shrugged.

“Well whatever you say,” he said. “Now, back onto my daily schedule. Where was I? Oh right.”

With that said, Sans stood up from the bench, stretched his arms a bit only to then let his entire body fall back on the bench, his front now facing the air. Then he put his skeletal hands on the back of his skull and closed his eye sockets.

“Uhh, what are you doing?” Frisk asked.

“What does it look like?” Sans asked sarcastically, his eye sockets still ‘closed’. “I’m resting.”

“Ok then…” Frisk said, feeling a bit weirded out.

She stared at his resting skeleton. If she didn’t know any better, Frisk would’ve assumed he was a very old corpse.

“Umm, what am I supposed to do now?” she asked him.

“Dunno,” Sans answered. “Go to sleep, take a walk. Do whatever you want I suppose.”

With that said, Frisk stood up from her seat and looked around the empty campsite, trying to think of anything to say or do. She felt like there was one thing she wanted to ask him, but she couldn’t quite place it. After a while of pondering, Frisk came out blank. Whatever it was, she thought it was perhaps not that important.

“Well I’ll guess we’ll be going then,” she said.

“Or you can do that too,” Sans said. “I would tell you to be careful but, to be honest, you came here at a pretty good time.  _ The Royal Hunt _ isn’t doing any patrols in the area this week so you can be as suspicious as you can for the moment. But of course, if you’re heading deeper into the kingdom, it might be smart for you to be a little bit careful in the least.”

“The Royal Hunt?” Frisk asked.

She couldn’t tell why, but that name filled her a bit of unease.

“Oh right, you’re new here,” Sans said. “Well, in short, it’s a group filled with a bunch of knights, mercenaries, warriors, you name it, who’s job is hunting down humans for the king. Or what’s left of him anyway.”

“The king?” Frisk asked curiously.

Sans became strangely silent for a moment.

“You are very curious aren’t you,” Sans said. “Well sorry kiddo, but I while I would really like to stay here and chat awhile, I am kind of busy at the moment.”

“What, napping?” Frisk asked.

“Yes,” the skeleton answered. “But those questions you have? I’m sure you’ll figure them all out down the road, trust me.”

Frisk sighed a bit. She really wanted to know more, but she didn’t want to bother annoying him too much either.

“If you say so,” Frisk said, sounding unsatisfied.

She looked around the campsite once more, almost as if she was expecting it to change.

"Well thanks for the company," Frisk said. "And uh, I guess we'll see you around."

"You betcha," Sans said, eye sockets still closed. "I'm almost certain we will."

" _ We better not, _ " Flowey muttered inside the backpack

Frisk paid no heed to what he said and headed down the road. Suddenly, the forest now felt much livelier despite nothing about it having changed. Once Frisk was gone a decent length from the camp, Flowey peeked his head out from the backpack once more

“Well that was a complete waste of time,” he said.

“Yeah, yeah,” Frisk replied.

 

The forest grew a bit thicker the further they went in and after a while, Frisk had sort of grown used to the atmosphere. There was still barely any sound, although small breezes could sometimes be heard.

This was perhaps the most wintery place Frisk had been through, she thought. She only wished winters were more like this on the surface. Nowadays days that is. Nowadays, you could barely see any snow, even in the winter. She was sure it was common in the past, and that the people back then must’ve taken it for granted. Frisk felt a bit envious of the people back then.

"Y' know, I'm kinda surprised you didn’t take his offer back there," Flowey said after a while. "To teleport I mean. Could've skipped this whole walking business."

“Yeah, about that,” Frisk began. “He was nice and all but… I don’t think I really trust that guy one-hundred-per cent.”

“Really?” Flowey asked seriously. “Even though I told you like a million times he was harmless and the one time I didn’t you immediately saw through my lies?”

“Aren’t you the one with the memory loss?” Frisk asked back.

Flowey shrugged.

“Good point,” he said. “Still, it was a bit paranoid of you don't ya think?”

"Maybe, but still, I just felt like he was hiding something," Frisk admitted. “Hey, speaking of paranoia why didn’t you just tell me you were scared back there?"

Flowey sighed. 

“You wanna find more ways to laugh more at my misery is that it?” he said.

“What? Oh no, no, no, no,” Frisk said, almost panicky. “That was… God, I’m so sorry for laughing at you back there. It was just… so unexpected from you I couldn’t help it.”

“What it’s unexpected that I have feelings?” Flowey asked sarcastically.

“No, I didn’t mean that,” Frisk said. “I just… sorry.”

“Apologies accepted,” Flowey said. “But if you really want to know, then here is the gist of it. The reason I was scared was that… the place made me…  _ gods how do I explain it _ … there was something about this forest that just didn’t sit right with me. Like, I felt like there was something I was missing about it.”

“Like a bad memory?” Frisk asked.

“I think so,” Flowey said. “Yeah, I think that’s it. There was something I was forgetting. Something, or someone, that we might need to keep out for.”

“Could… could it be The Royal Hunt?” Frisk asked worryingly.

“Maybe,” Flowey said. “Or it could be something to do with that Mickey fella the old hermit mentioned.”

“Oh shit!” Frisk exclaimed and stopped in her tracks.

“What is it?” Flowey asked with a slight hint of concern.

“I had almost completely forgotten about that,” Frisk said. “How the fuck did I forget that?!”

“Yeah, how in the…  _ F _ did you forget about that?” Flowey asked.

“I don’t know,” Frisk said. “Maybe it’s because so much shit has happened in just these past few hours, or maybe I’ve caught some of your memory loss or something.”

“Yeah, I don’t know the extent of it so… maybe?”

“God,” Frisk said, feeling slightly exasperated. “I could’ve asked that skeleton guy back there whether he recognized that name or not.”

“Holy shi-, I mean holy angel, you’re right,” Flowey said with a tone of great realization. “Wow. Why didn’t I think of that either? Oh right, too busy not liking him. I guess. So what? Are you gonna, turn around and go back to him?”

“He’s probably long gone by now,” Frisk said.

She sighed and stood still for a moment. After a short pause, she turned around and continued walking down the road.

“It’s fine,” she said. “I’m sure we’ll encounter someone else down the road and then we can just ask them. Who knows? Maybe this Mickey is a popular guy or something.”

“Yeah let’s hope,” Flowey said. 

Frisk had only walked a few feet further before Flowey thought of an idea.

“Hey, if you really wanted to,” he began. “You could always just stab yourself right now and we have another chance to ask the skeleton about it.”

Frisk turned thoughtful for a bit as she pondered it. A few moments later, she came to a decision and shook her head.

“Nah,” she said. “I don’t really know how far back we go. We could go to just a few seconds ago, or we go could all the way back to the ruins. Besides, even if death is not permanent, it still hurts like a son of a bitch..”

“Oh, I agree,” Flowey agree. “I agree with that very much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think I have discovered 3 reasons for why I have such unfrequent uploads.
> 
> 1\. I have a shit ton of games to play, and they always keep me from doing my "job".
> 
> 2\. I am not really in the greatest mood these days so that might have some effect on it.
> 
> 3\. I am lazy as fuck.
> 
> Anyway, I know it's been like... god, how long has it been exactly? 2 months? I know I can just check, but I'm sure that will just make me feel worse. But whatever's the case, I don't think it really matters right now because guess what? I have finally gotten a new chapter out. I am sure this is great news for like my, 6 remaining readers or whatever. But it's here, finally, I am gonna keep going because I have a shit ton of ideas for this AU and I don't want them all to go to waste.
> 
> Either way, for now just enjoy the currently available chapters, and more will come soon. I promise. I am already halfway through the next part. I think.


	13. The Forest Part 3

**The Forest Part 3**

  
  


Deep in the snow-covered woods, the air was silent and still while the cold breeze dwindled into a cool chill. Frisk, carrying Flowey, had been walking for just over half an hour since their meeting with the quirky yet suspicious skeleton, and during that entire time the duo didn’t speak much, as the flower spent most of the time hiding in the backpack while Frisk focused more on the path ahead, just as Flowey had commanded her to. She had obviously many questions to ask, but for now, she didn’t want to be too much of a bother for him.

After a while, Frisk began to have a growing worry that she was starting to get lost, even though Flowey had told her just a short while ago to “just keep following the road”. Still, she felt uneasy. Not to mention, her legs were beginning to tire. She was not used to walking for such a long time, especially not through hard snow while wearing only a single shoe that was clearly not made for winter, with her having lost the other one after she threw it at the old monster in the ruins. That foot was now wearing nothing but a soggy sock, and every other step was painful as she felt dozens of rocks or twigs pierce through it. To make matters even worse, Frisk hadn’t gotten a good rest in a while, not counting that time in the ruins where her sleep was interrupted by a terrifying nightmare, and all she wanted to do now was let herself fall on the side of the road and sleep. 

Thankfully, her wish for rest seemed to have been granted a while later when she came across a large tree log that had fallen on the side of the road.

_ Thank god _ , she thought.

It was thankfully not too small for her to sit on, or too wide and tall so that she couldn’t reach it. The log looked so perfect that Frisk felt suspicious for a moment as if it was placed there specifically for her.

But in her tired stupor, she didn’t think to care much, and so she sat on top of it and immediately felt dozens of splinters through her jeans, and noticed thus it was perhaps not so perfect altogether, and so her suspicions began to dwindle. Then she loosened the bag, still holding Flowey, and placed it on the ground by her dangling feet, and positioned it so that it lay against the log. 

“Why are we stopping?” Flowey asked and peeked out of the bag.

“No real reason,” Frisk answered and shrugged. “Just wanted to take a short rest. It’s not like we are in a hurry or anything right? Plus, my legs are starting to ache.”

“Do you also want it to be my turn to carry you from now on, eh?” Flowey asked sarcastically.

“Oh please, it’s only a short pause,” Frisk replied.

“Well I’m just more worried about something sneaking upon us from these woods,” Flowey admitted.

“Eh, we don’t need to worry about that much,” Frisk replied. “Thankfully I just discovered that I am a time traveller who travels through time whenever I die. God that sounds even weirder out loud.”

She stared into the deep woods in front of her and gave out a short exasperated sigh.

“Man I wish I had wifi or something,” Frisk said. “I only have like offline 2 apps on my phone and one them such garbage.”

“Yeah that should definitely be your number one concern right now,” Flowey said sarcastically. “Hey while you’re basking in your grief up there, I’m gonna sit back and ponder back to all the choices I made that led me to this exact moment.”

“Ok, you do that,” Frisk said, not really paying attention to him.

“ _ Why waste my breath? _ ” Flowey muttered to himself very softly.

Frisk kept staring for a while at the white, snowy trees ahead of her. Now that she was focusing on it, she saw that deeper in the trees and foliage grew so thick that they practically formed an organic wall. Frisk felt a bit unnerved when she imagined in her tired mind that maybe there was something behind there, watching and listening in on her and Flowey.

It also unnerved her a bit on how there wasn’t a single sound. No birds chirping, no blowing of the wind. That and the utter stillness of the place made it feel like the place was frozen in time. Yet, even after living her whole life in a cramped and noisy town, where she lived for years in a noisy cramped board school, Frisk had somewhat gotten used to the quiet. The bareness of life down here felt so predictable and familiar, yet it also felt strangely nostalgic, It was as if she had once lived here before, for many years. It was a strange sensation, and she couldn’t fully understand it herself.

After a while, she decided she had enough of staring at the dull, dark woods and so she laid down with her head on the log. The log was just long enough for her legs to dangle off the other end, and she put one of her palms behind her head like a fleshy pillow. If she didn’t wear a good enough hoodie, the splinters would’ve most likely been of much annoyance for her arm. Once she was done adjusting herself, she stared at up at the “sky” above. The distant crystals were almost indistinguishable from stars, and Frisk was sure they were put there on purpose to emulate the night sky on the surface. Yet, even though she knew they were just crystals on a cavern ceiling, she was utterly absorbed by the sight.

“Wow,” she simply said. “I've seen a night sky full of stars only once before, but this… this might just take the cake for second best.”

“Hang on,” Flowey said and peeked out of the bag in curiosity. “Have you really only seen the night sky on the surface once?"

“Well, no millions of times actually,” Frisk said. “I’ve only just seen it once when it’s filled with stars. At least once that I can remember. Most of the time it’s just empty darkness.”

“That’s strange,” Flowey said with a hint of intrigue. “I was always under the impression that stars were still objects.”

“Oh, they are,” clarified Frisk. “They are. Well, if you want to get technical, stars really are moving, just slowly and so far away that we can’t see it.”

“Ok, but then what happens to them?” Flowey asked like a curious boy asking his grandmother questions during storytime. “If what you are saying is true, then why does the sky so often turn empty as you say?”

Frisk smiled a small grin.

_ So this is what it feels like? _ she thought.

“You seem to be very interested in stars.”

“Well, why wouldn’t I be?” Flowey said. “So few monsters these days have lived to see them that it’s practically mystical. Hell like most monsters, I’ve been interested in them ever since I was a young kid. Although, perhaps in my case more than others.”

“Since you were a kid huh?” Frisk asked with a feeling of curiosity. “Speaking of which, how old are you exactly.”

“Oh, I am… not really sure exactly,” Flowey confirmed.

“Let me guess,” Frisk began. “You don’t remember?”

“Yeah that’s it,” Flowey said and sighed. “Although if I had to guess, I’d say that I am… um… about 15 or so.”

“Really?” Frisk asked. “Are you sure? You sound older than that. Like, judging by that voice I’d say you were at least in your twenties.”

“Well it’s just how I feel,” Flowey said. “By the way, you didn’t answer my question on why the stars vanish.”

“Oh sorry,” Frisk exclaimed, as she had almost forgotten that question. “Well umm, they don’t go anywhere. We just can’t see them because of all the light pollution. At least that’s how it is in most places here in Ireland. I’m sure there are dozens of places here on earth left unspoiled.

“Ireland?” Flowey asked, sounding obviously confused. “What? Is that some sort of human drink or something?”

“Ah right,” Frisk said. “That’s the uh, country we are in. Or under rather. I don’t know why I assumed you guys would’ve heard of it considering you’ve obviously been down here for like a thousand of years or so.”

“Two thousand actually,” Flowey corrected. “At least from what I’ve read.”

“Huh.”

Both of them turned silent as Frisk began to think.

_ Two thousand years without seeing the sun and stars? _ she thought.  _ Sounds awful. _

Flowey looked at her for a moment, and then he joined her in looking up at the “stars”.

“It’s so weird,” he said. “I’ve always just assumed this was such a normal thing for humans. Seeing the stars. Weird to hear it’s seemingly just a special commodity.”

“Ehh it’s not that special,” Frisk said. “Most of the time, you just need to hitch a ride to the countryside and there you go. I’ve just never had such an opportunity. Me and most others.”

As she kept staring at the cavern ceiling, Frisk began to yawn. The sleepiness was finally getting to her.

“Man I’m tired,” she said. “I think I haven’t slept properly in like…2 days or something.” 

“I thought you fell asleep in the ruins back there?” Flowey said.

“Yeah but, only for like 15 minutes or so,” Frisk answered.

“You slept for at least an hour,” Flowey said. “Trust me I was there.”

“Oh really?” Frisk said, feeling mild shock. “Huh, nevermind. Time down here is so frigging weird. But either way, I am not sure if you know it or not, but an hour of sleep is barely enough for a human, especially if I hadn’t slept the night before.”

“You didn’t sleep the night you came down here?” Flowey asked with a hint of curiosity.

Still staring at the ceiling, Frisk sighed. What Flowey had asked was something she really didn’t want to get into it at the moment.

“It’s a long story,” she simply said. “Tell you later.”

“Alrighty then,” Flowey said. “Y’ know. There is a town not so far from here.”

“You mean… a town of monsters?” Frisk asked, feeling a mixture of unease and excitement at that idea.

“Uhh, obviously,” Flowey said. “What else did you expect down here? A town of dogs?”

“Do uhh monsters still live there?” Frisk asked. “In that town I mean. And are they all sane like you or have they all turned...  well crazy like the guy from the ruins?”

“Nah they are all fine monsters, last I remember,” Flowey said. “It’s a poor town, but the monsters there have managed surprisingly well. Then again, it’s been a few years since I’ve been awake so things might have changed a bit.”

“So you are saying that it might not be there anymore?”

“Ehh maybe, but I am cautiously optimistic. There is also a nice inn there owned by this nice bunny lady and-”

“Wait, did you just say bunny lady?!” Frisk asked and turned her head sideways to him in surprise and intrigue. “Seriously? You have bunny people down here.”

Flowey looked up at her, with an otherwise bland expression hinting at slight annoyance.

“Really?” he said. “Is that what weirds you out? After everything you’ve seen so far?”

“Oh, good point,” Frisk said. “It’s just how casually you said it felt so… I don’t know. Go on.”

“Alright,” said Flowey. “So anyways, normally it costs money to rent a room for the night, but I am sure she will be generous enough to let a lost, tired and starving little girl and her frail flowery companion to stay there for free for at least one night.”

“Uhh, I’m not starving,” Frisk said.

“Obviously, but she doesn’t need to know that,” Flowey said. 

“Ahh, I see where you are going,” Frisk said. “But wait, won’t she, and perhaps the entire town now that I think about it, recognize me as a human?” 

“Nah I wouldn’t worry about that,” Flowey reassured her. “As I said to smiley trashbag back there, most monsters have no idea what a real human looks like. If anything, they’ll just think you’re one of those ape monsters from down south. Most of them are very isolationist, so it would also help explain your ignorance of the world for them.”

“Well, that’s convenient,” Frisk said.

“Yeah, it is,” Flowey said. “So anyway, we convince the aforementioned bunny lady to let us share a single room together for the night and-”

“Hey Woah, Woah, Woah!” Frisk exclaimed as she felt a sudden rush of confusing emotions. “I uh, I think you are perhaps going a bit too fast for my liking.”

“What?” Flowey said, utterly befuddled by her reaction. “What are you going on about!”

“Wait, what are  _ you _ going on about?” Frisk asked back.

“I’m simply saying we should get a room there for the night so that we won’t have to sleep the night in this gods-forsaken forest,” Flowey answered.

“Oh," Frisk said, feeling incredibly embarrassed and dumb. “Yeah uh, that makes much sense.”

“Where did you think I was going with this?” Flowey asked genuinely.

“Oh nowhere!” Frisk quickly said. “Nowhere at all. I guess I am just… tired and not thinking straight.”

“Sleep deprivation does that to ya,” Flowey said. “That’s why you should rest. Gives you a clearer head afterwards.”

Frisk chuckled. The way he phrased that reminded her of a certain someone.

“You’re kinda starting sound like that old guy from the ruins,” she said.

“Yeah, I’m sure that being stuck with him for years might have had some effect on me,” Flowey said and smiled back.

Frisk, on the other hand, stopped smiling as memories and thoughts she had tried her hardest to repress these past few hours now came rushing forward.

“Still don’t wanna talk about him eh?” Flowey asked.

Frisk didn’t answer for a short while. She didn’t really know how to answer. The flower was right, she didn’t really want to talk about or even think about him. But she felt that she had to do that sooner or later, so she decided to be somewhat honest.

“What is there to talk about?” she asked back, staring at the ceiling. "I met him, he was crazy, I was scared of him, and just as soon as I began to warm up to him, I found out he lied to me and wanted to keep me trapped with him forever. But even then, I still feel awful for having killed him though."

“Even though you completely undid that?” Flowey asked, sounding as if she just said some incomprehensible gibberish. 

"Yeah," Frisk said. "But the fact that I did it in the first place is just…"

She sighed. While the guilt of the murder seeped out of her gut, deep within her, she could feel a fear surfacing. A fear that she might’ve put the old hermit in a worse place than before she met him. 

“Honestly, I still feel kinda sorry for him,” Frisk admitted. "Even though he was clearly messed up I think that in the end, he was just… lonely. The other creatures in the ruins seemed to be somewhat scared of him, I guess, and now that he’s completely alone for good… man, I don’t want to even think about it.” 

“So you're suggesting that you should return and give me back to him, eh? And that I should spend the rest of my life giving him company?”

“Of course not!” Frisk exclaimed.

“I know, I was just messing with you,” the flower said.

“Oh,” Frisk said. “Sorry, I’m just… kinda slow now I guess.”

As she now thought back to the old monster, she realized that all she could possibly focus on was utter despair. Even the small but nice moments she tried to picture were silenced and drowned by the sounds and visuals of her hands covered in blood and the creature's cries of rage and agony. 

“Let's talk about something else now shall we?” Frisk said after a while.

“Yeah that’s a good idea,” Flowey said. “Let’s not dwell on him or we’ll fall into utter depression. So then, what do you wanna talk about?”

Frisk stared in the air thoughtfully. As she pondered on what to pick, she decided to sit back up. That proved to be surprisingly difficult, as her muscles had gotten somewhat numb from lying still for so long, but after an unnecessarily long time, she finally conquered that difficult challenge and adjusted herself back to her sitting position. After that, she stretched her arms and yawned.

Then she thought hard. She wasn’t stumped because she couldn’t find anything to talk about, but rather the opposite. She had so many questions swirling around in her head. Questions about the world, this mountain and especially of monsters, including how they work, how many are there, what they generally look like and so on. She half wanted to unload all of her questions at ones like an avalanche of words, like she would have done if she was 6 or 8. again. Frisk then half-realized that this weird place, with all its wonder and mystery, was starting to make her feel like a kid again. A scared, confused kid with so much more questions and answers about the world.

Then finally, she finally decided on a topic. It was a big topic, and she sort of picked it on random, but it was perhaps up there amongst the things she was most curious about, simply because of how incredible it was, and how no matter the answers she would get, it would change her view on the world, and perhaps life in general.

“You mentioned souls that one time,” she said to Flowey. “I’m still really curious about them. I mean, there are a bunch of different cultures and religions on the surface so with many interpretations and ideas of what a soul is. Not to mention all the people that reject the idea of souls entirely. The fact that I, just some random, teenage-girl with emotional issues, finally finds an absolute answer to this question, before all scientists and scholars, is just… mind-blowing and… kinda awesome. It honestly makes me feel somewhat cocky. Sorry. Kind of vent a bit overboard.”

“A bit yeah…” Flowey said. “Alright then. Souls it is. I still have knowledge left in my noggin. I think. So where do you wanna start.”

“Ok so umm, how do they work?” Frisk asked excitedly.

Flowey looked at her with a thoughtful expression. If Frisk didn’t know any better, she would have assumed he was stumped.

“That’s kind of a big question y’ know,” he answered. “I may know, or rather used to know, a lot more than most inhabitants down here. But even the smartest monsters down here still don’t know the full mechanics or power of them. Even the royal scientist himself, who by the by is the smartest and perhaps also the strangest monster in the underground, hasn’t come to a definitive truth yet.”

“Then can you then at least tell me the basic?” Frisk asked. “Like I’m sure you guys know something right?”

Flowey looked down on the ground and put one of his vines under his face like a person putting their palm on their chin to ponder.

“Ok, so how do I start,” Flowey said, and turned towards her. “Hmm… well for starters, every sentient being is split into 3 separate parts, the body, the soul and the consciousness. Even though they are all “separated”, quote on quote, they are still bound to each other in a strange way. That’s about what most monsters down here learn on their first day in school. Are you still with me?”

“Yeah I am,” Frisk said.

_ If schools taught shit like this at home,  _ she thought.  _ I think I never would’ve skipped class _ .

“Alright, because this is where it gets a bit more complex,” Flowey began. “When you die, your body rots while a large part of your consciousness, which is the thing that makes you you, moves into your soul. The easiest thing I can compare it to is when you take a file from your computer and move it into another folder.”

“Holy shit!” Frisk said as she felt a sense of incredible revelation. “Are you… are you saying that there is truly life after death?”

Flowey stared at her for a good few moments with a strange expression on his face. It seemed like a mix of awkwardness and sorrow, like a person trying to think on how to announce something disappointing to a person on the peak of their excitement.

“Ehh, no one really knows,” Flowey said after a while. “After the owner dies, their soul quickly vanishes afterwards. No one knows where they go, or heck, if they even go anywhere.”

“Oh,” Frisk said, feeling mildly disappointed.

She was sort of hoping for a more clear answer on this. Still, she felt a bit satisfied with what Flowey told her.

“Well at least it’s good to know that souls exist right?” she said. “At least there’s still hope for… something after death.”

“Oh yeah, I bet that uh, feels great,” Flowey said.

Frisk wasn’t sure what it was, but she felt like he was hiding something.

“What’s wrong,” she asked him.

“Oh nothing,” he said. “Nothing at all. Hey, wanna see what your soul looks like?”

“What?” Frisk exclaimed.

“Your soul,” Flowey said simply. “Wanna see it? I can use some simple magic to take it out of your body for a short while. It’s not gonna hurt or anything I promise.”

Frisk stared at Flowey with her mouth wide open in shock. Then, thinking it was a joke, she chuckled, although somewhat awkwardly. But then she noticed that Flowey had almost the same, no-nonsense expression on his face as he usually does.

“Are you serious?” she asked.

“Of course,” Flowey said. “Have I lied to you so far? Well besides that one time an hour ago when I lied to hide my fear, but you get the deal.”

“I don’t know,” said Frisk, feeling a bit hesitant. “Isn’t removing my soul from me somewhat… dangerous?” 

“Well I am not technically gonna remove it from you, I’m just gonna remove it from your body,” Flowey said. 

“Uhh, those two sound like the same thing,” Frisk said.

“Ok, I’m not in the mood to get into the metaphysical nature of all this,” Flowey began. “But long story short, even if it’s removed from your body, it’s still bound to you in a way, and when it comes to humans you can’t sever the bond unless you kill them first, and since we both know you are immune to that, it’s not really a problem.”

“Umm ok then,” Frisk asked. “But I dunno, this feels weird.”

Flowey looked at her with the sternest expression Frisk had ever seen him make.

“Listen,” he began. “If I could or even wanted to take your soul, I would’ve done so the moment I was awake again.”

“I wasn’t even suggesting that but now you just put that idea into my head and now I’m extra scared,” Frisk said nervously. 

Flowey looked at her thoughtfully for a moment and then shrugged.

“Fine then,” he said. “If you don’t want to see it, then it’s your choice.”

“Oh uh, wait, wait I wanna see it!” Frisk said quickly.

She wasn’t sure if it was the way Flowey said those last words, or whether she really did change her mind, but before she could think, Frisk had already said those words almost instinctively. 

“Uh, what?” Flowey asked back, and for a moment Frisk saw a small, satisfied grin on his face.

“Yeah fuck it,” Frisk said. “Do the thing. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Are you really,  _ really _ sure?” Flowey asked somewhat mockingly. 

Frisk became quiet again. Truthfully, she wasn’t sure at all. On one hand, this was perhaps the first time in hours she was somewhat nervous and unsure of the talking flower. On the other, she knew she might not get such an opportunity in the future. 

So after a few seconds, she just nodded and said:

“Yeah sure.”

There came a large, satisfied smile on Flowey’s face, perhaps the largest smile Frisk had ever seen, and it unnerved her somewhat.

“Alright then,” he said. “Now hold still. This won’t hurt. But since this is your first time it might feel a bit weird.”

Even with that said, Frisk closed her eyes in preparation.

She expected to feel a jolt or some sort of uncomfortable sensation at least, but what came next was surprisingly quick and painless, and felt as ordinary as drinking water. Once she opened her eyes again, she almost gasped as what she saw, she thought was undoubtedly the most amazing thing she had ever seen. In the air in front of her, there floated a red, heart-shaped object of seemingly pure energy. It looked very quaint in hindsight, and it was very small, barely the size of her palm. But during the moment, the mere sight of it made Frisk believe in a world beyond her scope and knowledge.

Everything around it grew darker and darker, and even the cavern crystals far above seemed to fade into nothingness. In the end, all she could see in front of her was a red, glowing object that was the brightest and most colorful thing in the whole world. Yet, strangely enough, Frisk didn’t feel one bit frightened. She felt rather familiar with it. Calm even, and she wasn’t sure if it was due to some strange magical effect or simply her fascination, but Frisk found herself unable to move her eyes from it. She was so mesmerized by it, that she found herself unable to think properly.

“Holy shit,” she said in astonishment. “Is that… my soul.”

“Indeed it is,” Flowey confirmed.

“Wow, it’s so… it’s so red,” she muttered. “Are all souls like this?”

“Well if you’re talking about the structure then yeah,” Flowey began. “But human souls aren’t exclusively red. They can be blue, purple, orange and so on. Heck, I distinctively remember that one theory that there might even be souls with colours the human mind can’t comprehend. How does that work you ask? I don’t know. Now here is the cool part. The colours are said to reflect the owners defining trait, like a green soul, would, for example, represents kindness and such belongs to someone who’s very kind, while a person with a cyan one means he or she is very patient.”

“Wow,” Frisk said. “Alright, then does a red soul say about me then.”

Flowey looked turned towards the soul, seemingly impressed by the implication of it.

“It means you have a high amount of determination,” he said. “That’s a good thing. Very good actually. In my mind, it’s perhaps the best possible soul trait. You see, even if it’s just a tiny tinge, every human has what we call  _ determination _ in their soul. It's not really determination in the literal sense, but it’s rather some sort of hidden force within every human. This force is believed to be the sole thing that gave humans a major advantage over the monsters so many years ago. Humans were immensely determined in comparisons to monsters. That’s why they won. A red soul just means that you have higher points of determination than most other humans. That plus all the magic in the air down here is my guess as to how you gained your special power. Frisk? Are you even listening to me?”

“Umm, yeah I think,” Frisk said, sounding almost as if she was drugged. “You were talking about my soul… and uh, determination and... sorry, I just feel kinda numb and… confused all of a sudden. It’s fine though. It’s fine. I think. Yeah, I have this feeling that it’s fine.”

“Oh, I guess your mind is not used to be separated from your soul huh?” Flowey observed. “Eh, it’s your first time. I’m sure it comes with practice. Well, back in you go then.”

With that said, the red light, vanished completely, and in that instant, all the light and colours that were missing in the world during that short moment came back as if they were never gone from her sight, but merely hidden from her consciousness.

“Wow, that felt… euphoric,” Frisk said, sounding sober again. “I feel like my mind has expanded like ten times.”

“Yeah it does that to you,” Flowey said and smiled. “The first time that is. It’s kinda all downhill from here.”

“Hey, can I see yours?” Frisk asked excitedly.

Flowey quickly his head to face her, looking very surprised and obviously taken back by that question.

“What?” he asked.

“Your soul,” Frisk said. “You can do that right? Show it to me? I’m super curious now.”

“But I-”

“C’ mon, let me see,” Frisk egged him on like a little kid. “Please? It’s not like I can take in y’ know.”

“But it’s just… it’s just…”

It was at that moment that Frisk noticed the strange sadness in his tone and posture.

“What’s wrong?” she asked gently.

“I… I don’t have a soul,” Flowey said.

Frisk felt taken back by that answer.

“What?” she exclaimed. “Wait. Do monsters not have souls?”

“Of course they do,” answered Flowey. “It’s just… I’m not a monster.”

"Really?" Frisk asked in a confused manner. "Then… what are you?"

"I'm a flower obviously," he answered simply. "A talking one yes, but a flower nonetheless."

"Umm, ok then what's the difference between a monster and a, uh, talking flower?" Frisk asked.

"Well one has a soul, the other doesn’t," Flowey answered. "One is sapient and can talk, the other one… ehhh isn't supposed to be. I'm kind of an anomaly in that case."

"That feels kinda like a non-answer but ok," Frisk said. "But if you’re just a simple flower as you say, then why do you have like, I dunno, a face? How can even you talk, and do all that crazy shit like extending your vines?"

"I dunno, I dunno, and I dunno," Flowey answered. "I guess I am just magical or something."

“But wait, if you don’t have a soul then... what happens to you when you die?” Frisk asked. “Like where does your mind go and...?”

Frisk stopped in her words as Flowey expression took on a dreary turn. He didn’t have to say anything as Frisk could tell by his pained look exactly what the answer was, and she felt sorrow begin to cling to her heart.

“Oh,” she said. “That’s uh… god, I’m sorry.”

“Nah it’s fine,” Flowey answered while staring melancholically at the ground. “I’ve accepted this fate for a while now.”

They both stared at the ground quietly for a moment while this thought dawned on their minds.

"Can't imagine how it feels," Frisk said sympathetically.

“Yeah I don’t think anyone can,” Flowey said without looking up.

Then as if to lighten the mood, he suddenly began to chuckle.

“Y’know,” Flowey began. “The funny thing is, this is exactly how I discovered this power. To reset that is. You see, once I was uhh… let’s say on the verge of dying, and during that moment I thought to myself-”

There came suddenly an indistinguishable sound of something rustling in the bushes far behind them, and Frisk turned around as if the entire forest had just yelled at them.

“ _ What was that _ ?” she whispered.

“ _ I dunno _ ,” Flowey whispered back.

“ _ Think it’s that weird skeleton guy again _ ?”

“ _ Well, in that case, I’d rather it’d be a killer on our trail _ .”

Frisk let herself stood up from the log and kneeled down on one knee. She and Flowey then practically huddled together as they stared at the direction of the sound for a good few moments. They could barely see anything as there were too many trees and shrubbery in the way. But they waited and waited, and after a while, the air was completely still again.

“Yeah, I’m sure it was nothin-”

Before Frisk could finish her sentence, there came suddenly a much worse sound from deep within, a sound so weird and uncanny that it sent shivers and dread through Frisk’s entire body, and she froze from it. It came from somewhere deep within the thick foliage, and it sounded very much like a cry of a reindeer in pain with an uncanny hint of a human quality to it.

“ _ Holy shit _ ,” Frisk whispered.

“ _ Yeah that’s definitely not smiley trashbag _ ,” Flowey said, sounding almost as stunned by the sound as Frisk.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just FYI, the thing at the end might not be as amazing as it sounds. Hell, it's arguably not that amazing at all. Just wanted to have a cliffhanger in the chapter.
> 
> But anyway, I'm back.  
> I am sorry for the delay, I had much going on, et cetera.  
> It's kind of a habit at this point I think. Having long delays between chapters. I'd be surprised to hear if I still have some of my old readers around here.
> 
> But here it is, finally. I mostly blame my laziness than anything. I have NOT lost interest in this story, nor am I losing it anytime soon. The reason for most of the delays is simple, pure procrastination. I do think I might have some attention problem, but I am not gonna try to diagnose myself or anything.
> 
> As for the chapter itself. What dangers and adventures could possibly be coming to Frisk and Flowey after a month hiatus. Talking. Yes talking. I felt like having a chapter where they just talk...  
> Maybe should've delayed my break for a bit.  
> On the bright side, I am kind of far with the next two chapters, with the one after this being almost done since it was originally gonna be part of this chapter. But then I realized that writing and going over it would take too long, so I decided to split it in two so I could update the story much earlier. 
> 
> I think that's all I've got to say now so adios. See you soon.*
> 
> *I'll try to at least.
> 
> Edit: So I just realized I forgot that Frisk was partly barefoot at this point since she threw her other shoe at "the creature" at the end of the ruins chapter, meaning that I just made a bit of a continuity error.
> 
> So I went ahead and updated this chapter so no-one can pester me in the future about it.
> 
> Also, good news. I am almost done with the next chapter after this. Just need to write 1 or 2 more paragraphs and then do a simple run over, fixing some errors and making minor changes. I expect the chapter to be up and ready about this weekend, but I also have to deal with school and finishing Borderlands 2 as a build-up for the 3rd game so I'm not making any promises. But I am personally optimistic so... keep an eye out this weekend.

**Author's Note:**

> And here it is. The first(?) chapter of The Shattering. As you can guess, this AU can get very dark, but would you believe me if I told you this is perhaps NOT the darkest this story can get?  
> So this cheerful introduction is basically my way of saying: "This is not going to be a happy story, and if you don't like that then you don't have to continue reading."  
> But anyway, I have been looking forward to making this story. I have like dozens of ideas for it, but I have planned a beginning and an end for it, so I'm not really just making up everything as I go along, although that might happen a few times. I have no idea when the next chapter will come out, but I have planned that one as well. One thing I wasn't happy about in AHTR is that I felt that the chapters were perhaps too long, and so I have instead decided to cut every chapter into a few parts, and releasing them individually.
> 
> So to finish this off, I hope you enjoy reading this fic and more will come soon.  
> (If you want more rambling, then you can check out the note on the first chapter of A Hunt to Remember which can be found in this collection (I think, I haven't been that much on this website))


End file.
